Podcasts about international red cross

US President Donald Trump has deployed the National Guard to Los Angeles following clashes over raids on undocumented migrants.Also on the programme: we will hear from the President of the International Red Cross on Gaza; and the potential power of using "poo pills" containing freeze-dried faeces.(Photo: Protesters stand next to a burning shopping cart during a standoff between police and protesters following multiple detentions by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), in the Los Angeles County city of Paramount, California, U.S., June 7, 2025. Credit: Reuters)

The head of the International Red Cross says the situation in Gaza has become 'worse than hell on Earth'. Also: The search for South Africa's illegal mining boss, and could we see data centres in space one day?

The head of the International Red Cross has told the BBC that what's happening in Gaza has crossed any acceptable legal or moral standard.Mirjana Spoljarić said that the situation "should shock our collective conscience". Her comments come after dozens of Palestinians were killed near new aid distribution centres. A prominent US-Israeli businessman with long experience of humanitarian missions tells us what's gone wrong with the roll-out of aid by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation.Also in the programme: Six months after a botched military coup, South Korea has a new president; and we'll hear howpoverty is driving men from Lesotho to the illegal mines of neioghbouring South Africa.(Photo shows people carrying aid supplies which they received from the U.S.-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, in Rafah, southern Gaza Strip on 3 June 2025. Credit: Reuters TV)

Middle East Correspondent for The Economist, Gregg Carlstrom reports on the humanitarian situation in Gaza.

The head of the International Red Cross says what is happening in Gaza has become "worse than hell on earth" - and surpasses any acceptable legal, moral and humane standard. Former foreign correspondent and political editor for The Independent, Donald Macintyre spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.

Robert Bruce Lockhart was at various times in his life a diplomat, a conspirator, an gatherer of intelligence, and a propagandist. He was always a maverick, a charmer, a bit of a cad with a touch of the bounder, and a devotee of the high life when he could afford it, and often when he could not.  In his busy life he ran a Malaya rubber plantation; served as a diplomat in Czarist Russia; and was first an interlocutor with and then a conspirator against the Bolshevik leaders of the early Soviet Union. After imprisonment and expulsion from the Soviet Union, he ricocheted about Europe as a journalist and memoirist, before ending up as head of the shadowy and creative Political Warfare Executive. Throughout his life he seemed to be an escapee from a John Buchan novel like The Thirty-Nine Steps, or Greemantle, albeit one with a much higher sex drive.  With me to talk about Robert Bruce Lockhart is James Crossland, Professor of International History at Liverpool John Moores University, where he is co-director of the Centre for Modern and Contemporary History. His interests are in—among other things—terrorism, propaganda, the International Red Cross and the history of international humanitarian law. He was last on the podcast in Episode 353 to talk about his book The Rise of the Devils: Fear and the Origins of Modern Terrorism. His newest book is Rogue Agent: From Secret Plots to Psychological Warfare, the Untold Story of Robert Bruce Lockhart. Some related podcasts in the archive are Jonathan Schneer on the Lockhart Plot; Anna Reid on the Russian Civil War; and–well, I mentioned it, oddly enough–Ben Jones on the Jedburghs.

In this podcast, Anselmo Guerrieri Gonzaga shares the extraordinary history of his family-owned winery, Tenuta San Leonardo, which is an estate of historical significance where great wines are created in Trentino. It produces San Leonardo, a Bordeaux-style red wine which was described by the wine journalist, Jancis Robinson as "surely the most successful Bordeaux blend of northern Italy". For our oenology enthusiasts, Anselmo describes the kind of grapes and wines made at San Leonardo and gives a colorful historical background to this winery founded in 1724.  And for our history buffs, Anselmo shares some of the highlights of his great grandmother Gemma de Gresti's war efforts to repatriate Italian soldiers during and after the First World War and to welcome and host the neediest during this tragic conflict. The International Red Cross awarded her the highest honor, the gold medal for humanitarian valor.  Born in Rome in 1978, Anselmo Guerrieri Gonzaga's passions have always been linked to the countryside and animals.  He spent every summer on his family's estate in Trentino surrounded by the vineyards and then in his grandmother's garden on the outskirts of Rome, La Landriana, where she had created a magical world with help from great landscape architects of the time. It is in these places that he refined his knowledge and love for nature.After graduating in 2000 from John Cabot University in Rome with a degree in Business Administration, Anselmo traveled around trying to find out what his aspirations were. Destiny soon brought him back to San Leonardo family winery to support his father.  In fact, in the summer of 2001, he started working on the estate covering little by little all the roles from the simplest gradually to taking over the management of the company to which much of his attention and time still go. Anselmo considers being a wine producer a privilege, and he continues to pursue his father's vision focusing on quality and people with great passion, never forgetting, as their motto says, that "The Land is the soul of our work". In this podcast, Anselmo Anselmo Guerrieri Gonzaga shares the extraordinary history of his family owned winery, Tenuta San Leonardo, which is an estate of historical significance and an Italian wine producer in the Lagarina Valley in Trentino. It produces San Leonardo, a Bordeaux-style red wine which was described by the wine journalist, Jancis Robinson as "surely the most successful Bordeaux blend of northern Italy". For our oenology enthusiasts, Anselmo describes the kind of grapes and wines made at San Leonardo and gives a colorful historical background to this winery founded in 1724.  And for our history buffs, Anselmo shares some of the highlights of his grandmother Emma de Gresti's war efforts to repatriate Italian soldiers during and after the First World War and to welcome and host the neediest during this tragic conflict. The International Red Cross awarded her the highest honor, the gold medal for humanitarian valor.  Born in Rome in 1978, Anselmo Guerrieri Gonzaga's passions have always been linked to the countryside and animals.  He spent every summer on his family's estate in Trentino surrounded by the vineyards and then in his grandmother's garden on the outskirts of Rome, La Landriana, where she had created a magical world with help from great landscape architects of the time. It is in these places that he refined his knowledge and love for nature After graduating from John Cabot University in Rome with a degree in Business Administration in 2000, Anselmo traveled around trying to find out what his aspirations were. Destiny soon brought him back to San Leonardo family winery to support his father. In fact, in the summer of 2001, he started working on the estate covering little

Sam Fenwick is joined by Erin Mc Laughlin, senior economist at the Conference Board in New York and Simon Littlewood, a business consultant based in Singapore.Two years into a civil war, Sudan is home to the world's largest humanitarian crisis. The International Red Cross is urging all sides to stop attacks on civilian infrastructure.We hear about Chinese president Xi Jinping's tour around Southeast Asia and what Malaysia stands to gain from new trade deals with China.Also in the programme, why are Chinese influencers going viral on TikTok over tariffs?

Two years into a civil war, Sudan is home to the world's largest humanitarian crisis. The International Red Cross is urging all sides to stop attacks on civilian infrastructure. Also, President Trump claims China has withdrawn from a contract with the American aircraft manufacturer, Boeing. As Peru's economy grows more slowly than expected, Sam Fenwick asks if it and other emerging economies could gain from a weaker dollar?

The 7.7 magnitude earthquake - which the US Geological Survey says had an epicentre in central Myanmar - has been felt in neighbouring countries, including Thailand where an unfinished high-rise has collapsed. Dozens of construction workers are missing, the Thai deputy prime minister says, and a search and rescue operation is under way. Damage in Myanmar is still being assessed. We speak to the International Red Cross in Yangon and hear first hand testiomny from Thailand's capital Bangkok.Also on the programme: the European Commission -- the EU's executive arm -- has announced a package of measures to help winemakers struggling to sell their product. Wine writer Julia Harding MW tells us why less wine is being drunk; and the visit by the US vice-president, JD Vance, to Greenland has sparked controversy. Greenlandic politician Qupanuk Olsen shares her perspective.(Image: Motorists ride past a damaged building after a strong earthquake struck central Myanmar, in Mandalay, Myanmar, March 28, 2025. Credit: Reuters)

Nick Prince received the prestigious Florence Nightingale Medal from the International Red Cross, recognising his 30 years of exceptional service as a nurse. The award honoured his dedication to providing healthcare in challenging environments, including armed conflicts and natural disasters. Nick became the first Australian male recipient of this esteemed international distinction.

Around the world, civilians in cities at war face immense risks. Urban warfare devastates lives and livelihoods, as people are killed and injured, critical infrastructure such as hospitals and water systems are damaged or destroyed, and entire communities are forced to flee. Disruptions to essential services amplifies the suffering of civilians and poses significant humanitarian challenges. As urbanization grows, the impact of conflicts in cities demands urgent and coordinated action to reduce harm and uphold the protections afforded under international humanitarian law (IHL). At the 34th International Conference of the Red Cross and Red Crescent in October 2024, this pressing issue was raised through the adoption of a Solemn Appeal on War in Cities. The resolution, adopted by consensus, reflects a shared recognition of the human cost of urban warfare and a commitment to improving the protection of civilians. To mark this moment, the resolution was read aloud during the conference, underscoring its importance and the collective responsibility it calls for. Today, we share both the transcript and video of the reading as a reminder of the need for action to safeguard human lives and preserve dignity in urban conflict settings.

Comprehensive coverage of the day's news with a focus on war and peace; social, environmental and economic justice. A New York judge dismisses manslaughter charge in subway chokehold case, jury considers lesser charges. Federal appeals court upholds law forcing sale of Tiktok to avoid US ban. New York investigators say United Healthcare CEO shooting suspect probably fled city by bus. San Mateo County supervisors take another step in effort to remove embattled County Sheriff. International Red Cross landmine removal chief calls on governments to abide by landmine bans. Mexico's president to ask Trump not to deport non-Mexican nationals to Mexico. The post The Pacifica Evening News, Weekdays – December 6, 2024 appeared first on KPFA.

“It's a peculiar profession,” Margareta Wahlström says when asked about her life as a humanitarian aid worker. Wahlström has worked in crisis situations from Vietnam to Cambodia to Afghanistan, and she held high-level positions at both the United Nations and the Swedish Red Cross. Along with a stressful work culture that often rewards a certain workaholic “cowboy” mentality, the “peculiarities” of humanitarian work also mean that women are less likely than men to reach decision-making positions. Thanks in part to Wahlström, that is changing. Her consistent advocacy for gender equity is one reason she was recently awarded The Henry Dunant Medal, the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement's highest honor.

Felice Gaer, esteemed Director of AJC's Jacob Blaustein Institute for the Advancement of Human Rights, was an internationally respected human rights advocate who dedicated more than four decades to championing the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and enforcing international commitments to prevent severe human rights violations globally. On November 9, Felice passed away after a prolonged battle with metastatic breast cancer. In honor of her legacy, we revisit her insightful conversation on People of the Pod, recorded last year during Women's History Month and on International Women's Day. As we remember and celebrate Felice's profound contributions, we share this interview once more. May her memory continue to be a blessing. __ Music credits: Drops of Melting Snow (after Holst, Abroad as I was walking) by Axletree is licensed under a Attribution 4.0 International License. Learn more about Felice Gaer: Felice Gaer, Legendary Human Rights Champion Who Inspired Generations of Global Advocates, Dies at 78 Listen – AJC Podcasts: The Forgotten Exodus: with Hen Mazzig, Einat Admony, and more. People of the Pod:  What the Election Results Mean for Israel and the Jewish People The Jewish Vote in Pennsylvania: What You Need to Know Sinwar Eliminated: What Does This Mean for the 101 Hostages Still Held by Hamas? Follow People of the Pod on your favorite podcast app, and learn more at AJC.org/PeopleofthePod You can reach us at: peopleofthepod@ajc.org If you've appreciated this episode, please be sure to tell your friends, and rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. __ Transcript of Conversation with Felice Gaer: Manya Brachear Pashman:   This past weekend, AJC lost a phenomenal colleague. Felice Gaer, the director of American Jewish Committee's Jacob Blaustein Institute for the Advancement of Human Rights, was an internationally renowned human rights expert who, for more than four decades, brought life and practical significance to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and international commitments, to prevent grave human rights abuses around the world.  She died on November 9, following a lengthy battle with metastatic breast cancer. I had the honor of interviewing Felice last year during Women's History Month and on International Women's Day.  We bring you that interview now, as we remember Felice. May her memory be for a blessing.  _ Felice is with us now to discuss today's human rights challenges and the challenges she has faced as a woman in the Human Rights world.  Felice, welcome to People of the Pod.  Felice Gaer:   Thank you, Manya. Manya Brachear Pashman:   So let's start with the beginning. Can you share with our listeners a little about your upbringing, and how Jewish values shaped what you do today? Felice Gaer:   Well, I had a fairly ordinary upbringing in a suburb of New York City that had a fairly high percentage of Jews living in it–Teaneck, New Jersey. I was shaped by all the usual things in a Jewish home. First of all, the holidays. Secondly, the values, Jewish values, and awareness, a profound awareness of Jewish history, the history of annihilation, expulsion, discrimination, violence. But also the Jewish values of universality, respect for all human life, equality before the law, sense of realism, sense that you can change your life by what you do, and the choices that you make. These are all core Jewish values. And I guess I always have found the three part expression by Rabbi Hillel to sum up the approach I've always taken to human rights and most other things in life. He said, If I'm not for myself, who will be, and if I'm only for myself, what am I? And if not now, when? So that's a sense of Jewish particularism, Jewish universalism, and realism, as well. Manya Brachear Pashman:   You went to Wellesley, class of 1968, it's an all-women's college. Was there a strong Jewish presence on campus there at a time? And did that part of your identity even play a role in your college experience?  Felice Gaer :  Well, I left, as I said, a town that had a fairly sizable Jewish population. And I went to Wellesley and I felt like I was in another world. And so even as long ago as 1964-65, that era, I actually reached out to Hillel and participated in very minor activities that took place, usually a Friday night dinner, or something like that. But it really didn't play a role except by making me recognize that I was a member of a very small minority. Manya Brachear Pashman:   Here on this podcast, we've talked a lot about the movement to free Soviet Jewry. As you pursued graduate work at Columbia, and also during your undergrad days at Wellesley, were you involved in that movement at all? Felice Gaer:   Well, I had great interest in Russian studies, and in my years at Wellesley, the Soviet Union movement was at a very nascent stage. And I remember arguments with the Soviet Ambassador coming to the campus and our specialist on Russian history, arguing about whether this concern about the treatment of Soviet Jews was a valid concern.  The professor, who happened to have been Jewish, by the way, argued that Jews in the Soviet Union were treated badly, but so was everybody else in the Soviet Union. And it really wasn't something that one needed to focus on especially. As I left Wellesley and went to Columbia, where I studied political science and was at the Russian Institute, now the Harriman Institute, I found that the treatment of Soviet Jews was different in many ways, and the capacity to do something about it was serious.  We knew people who had relatives, we knew people who wanted to leave. The whole Soviet Union movement was focused around the desire to leave the country–not to change it–that was an explicit decision of Jewish leaders around the world, and in the Soviet Union itself. And so the desire to leave was something you could realize, document the cases, bring the names forward, and engage American officials in a way that the Jewish community had never done before with cases and examples demanding that every place you went, every negotiation that took place, was accompanied by lists of names and cases, whose plight will be brought to the attention of the authorities. And that really mobilized people, including people like me.  I also worked to focus on the agenda of internal change in the Soviet Union. And that meant also looking at other human rights issues. Why and how freedom of religion or belief was suppressed in this militantly atheist state, why and how freedom of expression, freedom of association, and just about every other right, was really severely limited. And what the international standards were at that time. After I left Columbia, that was around the time that the famous manifesto from Andrei Sakharov, the world famous physicist, Nobel Prize winner, was made public. It was around the time that other kinds of dissident materials were becoming better known about life inside the Soviet Union post-Khrushchev. Manya Brachear Pashman:   So you left Colombia with a master's degree, the Cold War ends, and you take a job at the Ford Foundation that has you traveling all around Eastern Europe, looking to end human rights abuses, assessing the challenges that face that region. I want to ask you about the treatment of women, and what you witnessed about the mistreatment of women in these regions. And does that tend to be a common denominator around the world when you assess human rights abuses? Felice Gaer:   Well, there's no question that the treatment of women is different than the treatment of men. And it's true all over the world. But when I traveled in Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union in the height of those years, height of the Cold War, and so forth, the issues of women's rights actually weren't one of the top issues on the agenda because the Soviet Union and East European countries appeared to be doing more for women than the Western countries.  They had them in governance. They had them in the parliament. They purported to support equality for women. It took some years for Soviet feminists, dissidents, to find a voice and to begin to point out all the ways in which they were treated in the same condescending, patriarchal style as elsewhere. But in those years, that was not a big issue in the air.  It was unusual for me, a 20-something year old woman from the United States to be traveling around Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union, meeting with high officials and others, and on behalf of the Ford Foundation, trying to develop programming that would involve people to people contacts, that would involve developing programs where there was common expertise, like management training, and things of that sort. And I was really an odd, odd duck in that situation, and I felt it. Manya Brachear Pashman:   I mentioned in my introduction, the Beijing World Conference on Women, can you reflect a little on what had a lasting impact there? Felice Gaer:   Well, the Beijing World Conference on Women was the largest, and remains the largest conference that the United Nations has ever organized. There were over 35,000 women there, about 17,000 at the intergovernmental conference. I was on the US delegation there.  The simple statement that women's rights are human rights may seem hackneyed today. But when that was affirmed in the 1995 Beijing Outcome Document, it was a major political and conceptual breakthrough. It was largely focused on getting the UN to accept that the rights of women were actually international human rights and that they weren't something different. They weren't private, or outside the reach of investigators and human rights bodies. It was an inclusive statement, and it was a mind altering statement in the women's rights movement.  It not only reaffirmed that women's rights are human rights, but it went further in addressing the problems facing women in the language of human rights.  The earlier world conferences on women talked about equality, but they didn't identify violations of those rights. They didn't demand accountability of those rights. And they said absolutely nothing about creating mechanisms by which you could monitor, review, and hold people accountable, which is the rights paradigm. Beijing changed all that. It was a violations approach that was quite different from anything that existed before that. Manya Brachear Pashman :  Did anything get forgotten? We talked about what had a lasting impact, but what seems to have been forgotten or have fallen to the wayside? Felice Gaer:   Oh, I think it's just the opposite. I think the things that were in the Beijing conference have become Fuller and addressed in greater detail and are more commonly part of what goes on in the international discourse on women's rights and the status of women in public life. And certainly at the international level that's the case.  I'll give you just one example, the Convention Against Torture. I mean, when I became a member of the committee, the 10 person committee, I was the only woman. The committee really had, in 11 years, it had maybe said, four or five things about the treatment of women. And the way that torture, ill treatment, inhuman, degrading treatment may affect women.  It looked at the world through the eyes of male prisoners in detention. And it didn't look at the world through the eyes of women who suffer private violence, gender based violence, that is that the state looks away from and ignores and therefore sanctions, and to a certain extent endorses.  And it didn't identify the kinds of things that affect women, including women who are imprisoned, and why and where in many parts of the world. What one does in terms of education or dress or behavior may lead you into a situation where you're being abused, either in a prison or outside of prison. These are issues that are now part of the regular review, for example, at the Committee Against Torture, issues of of trafficking, issues of gender based violence, the Sharia law, the hudud punishments of whipping and stoning, are part of the concern of the committee, which they weren't before. Manya Brachear Pashman:   In other words, having that woman's perspective, having your perspective on that committee was really important and really changed and broadened the discussion. Felice Gaer:   Absolutely. When I first joined the committee, the first session I was at, we had a review of China. And so I very politely asked a question about the violence and coercion associated with the population policy in China, as you know, forced abortions and things of that sort. This was a question that had come up before the women's convention, the CEDAW, and I thought it was only appropriate that it also come up in the Committee Against Torture.  In our discussion afterwards, the very stern chairman of the committee, a former constable, said to me, ‘You know, this might be of interest to you, Ms. Gaer, but this has nothing to do with the mandate of this committee.' I explained to him why it did, in some detail. And when I finished pointing out all of those elements–including the fact that the people carried out these practices on the basis of state policy–when I finished, there was a silence.  And the most senior person in the room, who had been involved in these issues for decades, said, ‘I'm quite certain we can accommodate Ms. Gaer's concerns in the conclusions,' and they did.  That's the kind of thing that happens when you look at issues from a different perspective and raise them. Manya Brachear Pashman:   You talked about being an odd duck in your 20s, as a woman traveling around Eastern Europe, trying to address these challenges. I'm curious if that woman in her 20s would have been able to stand up to this committee like that, and give that thorough an explanation? Or did it take some years of experience, of witnessing these issues, perhaps being ignored?  Felice Gaer:  Well, I think as we go through life, you learn new things. And I learned new things along the way. I learned about the universal norms, I learned about how to apply them, how they had been applied, and how they hadn't been applied. And in that process, developed what I would say is a sharper way of looking at these issues.  But the Bosnian conflict in particular, made the issue of gender based violence against women, especially in war, but not only in war, into a mainstream issue, and helped propel these issues, both inside the United Nations and outside, the awareness changed.  I remember asking the International Red Cross representatives in Croatia, just across the border from Bosnia, if they had encountered any victims of gender based violence or rape, and they said, ‘No.' And I said, ‘Did you ask them about these concerns?' And they sort of looked down and looked embarrassed, looked at each other and looked back at me and said, ‘Oh.' There were no words. There were no understandings of looking at the world this way. And that has changed. That has changed dramatically today. I mean, if you look at the situation in Ukraine, the amount of gender based violence that has been documented is horrifying, just horrifying, but it's been documented. Manya Brachear Pashman   So is the world of human rights advocacy male-dominated, female-dominated, is it fairly balanced these days? And has that balance made the difference in what you're talking about? Felice Gaer:   You know, I wrote an article in 1988, the 40th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, about why women's rights weren't being addressed. And one of the points I drew attention to was the fact that the heads of almost all the major organizations at the time were all male. And that it wasn't seen as a concern. A lot of that has changed. There's really a real variety of perspectives now that are brought to bear. Manya Brachear Pashman:   So we've talked a lot about the importance of [a] woman's perspective. Does a Jewish perspective matter as well? Felice Gaer:   Oh, on every issue on every issue and, you know, I worked a great deal on freedom of religion and belief, as an issue. That's a core issue of AJC, and it's a fundamental rights issue. And it struck me as surprising that with all the attention to freedom of religion, the concern about antisemitic acts was not being documented by mainstream human rights organizations. And it wasn't being documented by the UN experts on freedom of religion or belief either. I drew this to the attention of Dr. Ahmed Shaheed, who was recently ending his term as Special Rapporteur on Freedom of religion or belief. And he was really very struck by this. And he went, and he did a little bit of research. And he found out that since computerized records had been prepared at the United Nations, that there had been no attention, no attention at all, to cases of alleged antisemitic incidents. And he began a project to record the kinds of problems that existed and to identify what could be done about it. We helped him in the sense that we organized a couple of colloquia, we brought people from all over the world together to talk about the dimensions of the problem and the documentation that they did, and the proposals that they had for addressing it. And he, as you may recall, wrote a brilliant report in 2019, setting out the problems of global antisemitism. And he followed that up in 2022, before leaving his position with what he called an action plan for combating anti semitism, which has concrete specific suggestions for all countries around the world as to what they can do to help combat antisemitism and antisemitic acts, including and to some extent, starting with adopting the working definition on antisemitism of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance, but also activities in in the area of education, training, training of law enforcement officials, documentation and public action. It's a real contribution to the international discourse and to understanding that freedom of religion or belief belongs to everyone. Manya Brachear Pashman:   And do you believe that Dr. Shaheed's report is being absorbed, comprehended by those that need to hear it that need to understand it? Felice Gaer   I've been delighted to see the way that the European Union has engaged with Dr. Shaheed and his report has developed standards and expectations for all 27 member states, and that other countries and other parts of the world have done the same. So yeah, I do think they're engaging with it. I hope there'll be a lot more because the problem has only grown. Manya Brachear Pashman:   On the one year anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, JBI issued a report that sounded the alarm on the widespread violations committed against Ukrainians, you mentioned the amount of gender based violence Since that has taken place, and the other just catastrophic consequences of this war. Felice, you've been on the front row of Eastern European affairs and human rights advocacy in that region. From your perspective, and I know this is a big question: How did this war happen? Felice Gaer:   I'll just start by saying: it didn't start in 2022. And if you have to look at what happened, the events of 2014, to understand the events of 2022. Following the breakup of the Soviet Union, or even during the breakup, there was a period where the 15th constituent Union republics of the Soviet Union developed a greater national awareness, really, and some of them had been independent as some of them hadn't been, but they developed a much greater awareness. When the Soviet Union collapsed, the 15 countries, including Russia, as one of the 15, became independent entities. And aside from having more members in the United Nations and the Council of Europe and places like that, it led to much more robust activity, in terms of respecting human rights and other areas of endeavor in each of those countries.  The situation in Russia, with a head of state who has been there, with one exception, a couple of years, for 20 years, has seen an angry desire to reestablish an empire. That's the only thing you can say really about it.  If they can't dominate by having a pro-Russian group in charge in the country, then there have been invasions, there have been Russian forces, Russia-aligned forces sent to the different countries. So whether it's Georgia, or Moldova, or Ukraine, we've seen this pattern.  And unfortunately, what happened in 2022, is the most egregious and I would say, blatant such example. In 2014, the Russians argued that it was local Russian speaking, little green men who were conducting hostilities in these places, or it was local people who wanted to realign with Russia, who were demanding changes, and so forth. But in the 2022 events, Russia's forces invaded, wearing Russian insignia and making it quite clear that this was a matter of state policy that they were pursuing, and that they weren't going to give up.  And it's led to the tragic developments that we've all seen inside the country, and the horrific violence, the terrible, widespread human rights violations. And in war, we know that human rights violations are usually the worst.  And so the one good spot on the horizon: the degree to which these abuses have been documented, it's unprecedented to have so much documentation so early in a conflict like this, which someday may lead to redress and accountability for those who perpetrated it. But right now, in the middle of these events, it's just a horror. Manya Brachear Pashman:   What other human rights situations do we need to be taking more seriously now? And where has there been significant progress? Felice Gaer:   Well, I'll talk about the problem spots if I may for a minute. Everyone points to North Korea as the situation without parallel, that's what a UN Commission of Inquiry said, without parallel in the world. The situation in Iran? Well, you just need to watch what's happened to the protesters, the women and others who have protested over 500 people in the streets have died because of this. 15,000 people imprisoned, and Iran's prisons are known for ill treatment and torture.  The situation in Afghanistan is atrocious. The activities of the Taliban, which they were known for in the 1990s are being brought back. They are normalizing discrimination, they are engaged in probably the most hardline gender discrimination we've seen anywhere where women can't work outside the home, girls can't be educated, political participation is denied. The constitution has been thrown out. All kinds of things. The latest is women can't go to parks, they can't go to university, and they can't work for NGOs. This continues. It's a major crisis.  Well, there are other countries, from Belarus, to Sudan to Uzbekistan, and China, that we could also talk about at great length, lots of problems in the world, and not enough effort to expose them, address them and try to ameliorate them. Manya Brachear Pashman   So what do we do about that? What can our listeners do about that, when we hear this kind of grim report? Felice Gaer:   Work harder. Pay attention when you hear about rights issues. Support rights organizations. Take up cases. Seek redress. Be concerned about the victims. All these things need to be done. Manya Brachear Pashman:   I don't know how you maintain your composure and your cool, Felice, because you have faced so much in terms of challenges and push back. So thank you so much for all you have done for women, for the Jewish people, and for the world at large. Thank you, thank you, thank you. Felice Gaer:   Thank you, Manya.

The 34th International Conference of the Red Cross and Red Crescent will take place 28-31 October 2024 in Geneva, Switzerland. At this meeting, states party to the 1949 Geneva Conventions and the components of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement will meet to discuss humanitarian issues under this International Conference's theme “Navigate uncertainty, strengthen humanity”. In the lead-up to this meeting, ICRC Legal Adviser Ellen Policinski looks back at the role of the International Conference in drafting the 1949 Geneva Conventions, in particular the Fourth Geneva Convention, which protects civilians.

Since 2003, the ICRC has submitted a report on ‘International Humanitarian Law and the Challenges of Contemporary Armed Conflict' to the International Conference of the Red Cross and Red Crescent, where the High Contracting Parties to the Geneva Conventions come together with the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement to discuss key matters of humanitarian concern and to make joint commitments. In this post and drawing from the 2024 Challenges Report, ICRC Chief Legal Officer Cordula Droege presents the ICRC's analysis of some of the salient legal issues of today's conflicts, animated, first and foremost, by its desire to achieve greater protection of victims of war from the effects of armed conflicts, and informed by its observation of key humanitarian issues on the ground and its dialogue with parties to conflicts in all parts of the world.

00:00 2005年英语专业四级 短文101:27 2005年英语专业四级 短文202:58 2005年英语专业四级 短文32005年英语专业四级 短文1Attention all passengers, platform change, this is a platform change.各位乘客注意，火车停靠站台改变，火车停靠站台改变。The train, now standing at platform 9, is the 10:48 train, calling at all stations to Nanjing.现在停在九号站台的这列火车，是10:48分出发的火车，它会在通往南京的所有站做停留。Please note, the train on platform 9 is not the 10:52 train to Jinan.请注意，停在九号站台的火车并不是10：52分开往济南的火车。It's the 10:48 train calling at all stations to Nanjing.这是10：48分出发，在通往南京所有站做停留的火车。The 10:52 to Jinan will now leave from platform 7.10：52开往济南的火车即将从七站台出发。Train announcement.列车到发通告。The 11:20 train to Zhengzhou from platform 8 will be subject to a 15-minute delay.11：20从八号站台开往郑州的列车晚点15分钟。I repeat, there will be a 15- minute delay for the Zhengzhou train on platform 8 .It will now leave at 11:35, not 11:20.再次重复，八号站台开往郑州的列车晚点15分钟。11：35列车开动，不是11：20。The 11:28 train to Hangzhou has been cancelled.11:28开往杭州的火车已经取消。We apologize to customers, but due to a signal problem, the 11:28 train to Hangzhou from platform 15 has been cancelled.我们向您道歉，由于信号问题，11：28从十五号站台开往杭州的列车已经取消。The 11:32 train to Tianjin is now standing at platform 13.11：32开往天津的火车现在停靠在十三号站台。Please note, there will be no restaurant car on this train. I repeat, there will be no restaurant car on the 11:32 to Tianjin now standing at platform 13.请注意，这列火车上没有餐车。再次重复，现在停靠在13号站台，11：32开往天津的火车上没有餐车。2005年英语专业四级 短文2The International Red Cross and Red Crescent Museum was opened in Geneva in 1988国际红十字会和红新月博物馆于1988年在日内瓦开幕。It tells the story of men and women who, in the course of the major events of the last 150 years, have given assistance to victims of war and natural disasters.它讲述了在过去150年的重大事件中，为战争和自然灾害受害者提供援助的男男女女的故事。The organization was established in 1863 and was based on an idea by a Swiss businessman called Henri Durant.该组织成立于1863年，由瑞士商人亨利·杜南创建。He had witnessed the heavy casualties at the battle of Sulferino in Italy 4 years earlier, in which 40,000 people were killed, wounded or missing.四年前，他看到了意大利索尔费里诺战役的惨重伤亡，那场战役造成4万人死亡、受伤或失踪。He had seen the lack of medical services and the great suffering of many of the wounded who simply died from lack of care.他看到了医疗服务的缺乏以及因为缺乏医疗而死亡的大量伤员的巨大痛苦。The International Red Cross or Red Crescent exists to help the victims of conflicts and disasters regardless of their nationalities.国际红十字会或红新月博物馆的存在是为了帮助冲突和灾难的受害者，不论他们的国籍是什么。The symbol of the organization was originally just the red cross.该组织的象征最初只是红十字会。It has no religious significance.没有宗教意义。The founders of the movement adopted it as a tribute to Switzerland.该组织的创始人将它作为对瑞士的致敬。However,during the Russo-Turkish War, the Turks felt that the cross could be seen as offensive to Muslim soldiers.然而，在俄土战争期间，土耳其人认为十字架是对穆斯林士兵的冒犯。And a second symbol, the red crescent, was adopted for use by national organizations in the Islamic world. Both are now official symbols.第二个标志红新月，为伊斯兰世界的国家组织所采用。现在两者都是官方标志。2005年英语专业四级 短文3At major college or high school sports events, cheerleaders, both male and female,jump and dance in front of the crowd, and shout the name of their team, running around and yelling "Go, team, Go"在主要的大学或高中体育赛事中，啦啦队队长，无论男女，都要在人群前蹦蹦跳跳，喊出自己球队的名字，到处跑，喊着“加油，球队，加油”。The first cheerleader ever was a man.第一个啦啦队队长是一个男人。In 1898, John Campbell jumped in front of the crowd at the University of Minnesota and shouted for his team.1898年，约翰·坎贝尔在明尼苏达大学的人群前跳下，为他的球队呐喊。He shouted "Hoorah, Minnesota". This was the first organized shout, oryell.他喊道“万岁，明尼苏达大学”。这是第一次有组织的喊叫或呐喊。For the next 32 years cheerleaders were men only.在接下来的32年里，啦啦队员只有男性。Cheerleading is not just about cheering. They practice special shouts, dances, and athletic shows.啦啦队不仅仅是为了欢呼。他们练习特殊的喊叫声、舞蹈和体育表演。The men throw the women high in the air and catch them.男人把女人抛向空中，然后抓住她们。The team members climb on each other's shoulders to make a human pyramid.队员们爬上彼此的肩膀，形成一个金字塔。They yell and dance, too. It is like human fireworks.他们喊啊，叫啊，舞啊，那激情如烟花般四射。Of course, they may often suffer serious knee and wrist injuries, and bloody noses.当然，他们可能经常遭受严重的膝盖和手腕受伤，流鼻血。Cheerleaders have their own contests every year at local, state and national levels.拉拉队长每年在地方、州和国家都有自己的比赛。And the crowd shouts for them.群众为他们呼喊。It is not fair to think cheerleading is just being cheerful and lively and having aloud voice.把啦啦队看作娱乐，维持现场气氛活跃，保持声音响亮的手段是不公平的。Cheerleading is a sport in itself.啦啦队本身就是一项运动。

Warren Berger developed his inquiry skills as a journalist for The New York Times, but he first declared himself a “questionologist” with the publication of his best-selling book, A More Beautiful Question (Bloomsbury, 2014). The book illustrates how questioning has been the starting point for innovations ranging from the cell phone to Netflix to the International Red Cross. In it, Berger introduces an original framework—the “Why/What If/How” cycle of inquiry—that can be applied to all kinds of challenges and problems. A More Beautiful Question has been embraced by organizations such as NASA, the U.S. Army, the National Science Foundation, and companies like Starbucks, Chanel, Pfizer, Oracle, Microsoft, Disney, and Pepsi. The book is also widely used in major universities across the country. Mr. Berger has conducted questioning workshops at NASA and the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, and he designed and hosted a filmed employee-training program on questioning for PepsiCo. He also regularly visits elementary and high schools, urging teachers to encourage more student questioning and critical thinking in the classroom. In the fall of 2018, Berger released a follow-up book on questioning, The Book of Beautiful Questions: The Powerful Questions That Will Help You Decide, Create, Connect, and Lead. In 2020, he published Beautiful Questions in the Classroom, which offers strategies and exercises to help teachers inspire more curiosity and inquiry among their students. Overall, Berger has authored or co-authored 10 books, including the acclaimed Glimmer, one of the first books on “design thinking.” He has appeared on NPR's All Things Considered, CNN, and NBC's Today Show. He also contributes regularly to Harvard Business Review, Fast Company, and Psychology Today, where he writes the “Questionologist” column. His general website about questioning is www.amorebeautifulquestion.com, and his author/speaker site is www.warrenberger.com.

This Day in Legal History: American Red Cross FoundedOn this day in legal history, May 21, 1881, Clara Barton founded the American Red Cross. Inspired by her experiences providing care to soldiers during the Civil War and influenced by the International Red Cross in Europe, Barton established the organization to offer emergency assistance, disaster relief, and education in the United States. The American Red Cross received its first Congressional Charter in 1900, which was later updated in 1905 to formalize its responsibilities and relationship with the federal government.The charter defines the organization's mission to provide aid to victims of natural disasters and armed conflict, as well as to maintain a system of national and international relief in times of peace. Under Barton's leadership, the American Red Cross played a critical role in responding to natural disasters such as the Johnstown Flood in 1889 and the Galveston Hurricane in 1900.Today, the American Red Cross continues to be a vital component of the nation's emergency response infrastructure. It provides blood donation services, supports military families, offers health and safety training, and responds to over 60,000 disasters annually. The organization's founding marked a significant moment in the history of humanitarian aid in the United States, embodying a commitment to compassion and service that endures to this day.In recent developments regarding Rudolph Giuliani's bankruptcy, creditors are seeking documents from John Catsimatidis, the billionaire owner of WABC Radio, which recently canceled Giuliani's show. The creditors' committee has filed a motion in the US Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York to subpoena Catsimatidis for communications and documents related to Giuliani's relationship with WABC, his compensation, and details about the shows he hosted.The move comes after Catsimatidis canceled Giuliani's show due to the former mayor's repeated false statements about the 2020 election. The creditors are also interested in information about Giuliani's termination, statements he made regarding the Georgia poll workers who won a $148 million defamation judgment against him, and other potential assets.Giuliani filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy following the defamation suit loss, and his recent attempt to challenge the judgment failed. The committee has expanded its efforts to subpoena over 20 individuals associated with Giuliani, including his son, to uncover additional assets for distribution among creditors. Giuliani Creditors Target Billionaire Radio Station Owner (1)Martin Gruenberg, head of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. (FDIC), announced he will step down following a report of a toxic work environment at the agency. The report, conducted by Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton, detailed allegations of harassment and discrimination, highlighting a problematic culture at the FDIC during Gruenberg's tenure. Despite surviving intense congressional hearings, Gruenberg faced increasing political pressure, notably from Senate Banking Committee Chairman Sherrod Brown, who called for new leadership to implement fundamental changes.Gruenberg, who has been an FDIC board member since 2005 and served twice as chairman, promised to address the agency's issues but acknowledged his resignation once a successor is confirmed. The White House plans to quickly nominate a replacement to maintain the Democratic majority on the FDIC board, ensuring the continuation of the administration's regulatory agenda.The FDIC is currently collaborating with the Federal Reserve and the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency on new capital requirements for big banks, a contentious issue in the financial industry. Gruenberg's departure could impact these regulatory efforts, especially if the board becomes evenly split between Democrats and Republicans. House Majority Whip Thomas Emmer called for Gruenberg's immediate resignation, suggesting other capable leaders could take over.The White House expressed its commitment to appointing a new chair dedicated to consumer protection and financial stability, aiming for swift Senate confirmation. The unfolding situation underscores the ongoing challenges and political dynamics within federal financial regulatory bodies.FDIC Chair Says He'll Leave Job After Toxic Workplace Report (2)The Law School Admission Council (LSAC) is developing a new "environmental context" metric to provide law schools with more information about the socioeconomic challenges applicants face. This metric will include data on institutional student spending, graduation rates, and the percentage of undergraduates receiving federal Pell Grants. Unveiled during an American Bar Association meeting, the project aims to offer a fuller picture of applicants beyond grades and test scores.The initiative is a collaboration with The College Board, which already provides similar contextual tools for college admissions. LSAC's research director, Elizabeth Bodamer, highlighted the importance of understanding the hurdles applicants have overcome. This new metric comes after the U.S. Supreme Court's 2023 decision limiting the consideration of race in admissions, though LSAC had planned the project years earlier.Law schools are testing the metric on 2023 applications to evaluate its impact on admissions decisions. Initial findings show that applicants from high-challenge colleges are 2.5 times more likely to be first-generation students compared to those from low-challenge colleges. Additionally, nearly all applicants from low-challenge colleges are accepted into law school, while fewer than two-thirds from high-challenge colleges gain admission.Law school applicants' socioeconomic hurdles measured by new metric | ReutersIn my column this week, I discuss the IRS's acknowledgment of racial disparities in taxpayer audit rates, as highlighted by Stanford's Institute for Economic Policy Research in 2023. The IRS plans to reassess and refine its compliance mechanisms, but mere algorithm adjustments won't suffice. Accountability is crucial for addressing how these algorithms exhibited biases and ensuring taxpayers can trust the system's integrity. Transparency, such as open-sourcing the audit algorithms, is essential for enabling feedback from researchers and watchdog groups.The issue of biased algorithms extends beyond statistics. Racial disparities in audits undermine trust in the tax system, which is vital for voluntary compliance. Although algorithms aren't inherently biased, the people who create them can introduce biases, whether intentionally or not. This is evident in similar cases, such as the Netherlands' tax audit scandal, where policies flagged ethnic minorities for audits on childcare benefits, leading to widespread disallowance of said benefits and massive financial harm to numerous innocent individuals.In the U.S., the IRS's audit algorithms may disproportionately impact Black taxpayers due to the way they predict income misstatements. Stanford researchers found that Black taxpayers were audited at rates 2.9 to 4.7 times higher than non-Black taxpayers. Whether these biases are overt or incidental, the experience of those audited remains unjust.Greater transparency in audit algorithms is necessary to ensure equity across all demographics. While there are concerns about revealing audit selection criteria, the benefits of transparency outweigh the risks. Disclosing audit rates across demographics and open-sourcing the algorithms will allow for independent assessment and help identify and eliminate biases. Open-source algorithms can also expose vulnerabilities, enabling improvements.The column underscores that addressing biases in enforcement processes requires more than algorithm tweaks; it involves engaging with affected communities to rebuild trust through transparency and accountability. This level of openness is crucial for restoring taxpayer confidence in the fairness of the IRS's audit practices.IRS Racial Audit Disparities Need Accountability to Be Resolved Get full access to Minimum Competence - Daily Legal News Podcast at www.minimumcomp.com/subscribe

As you may have noticed, we like to blow stuff up on this channel. So when the International Red Cross approached us to collaborate on a video about nuclear weapons, we were more than excited. Until we did the research. It turned out we were a bit oblivious off the real impact of nuclear weapons in the real world, on a real city. And especially, how helpless even the most developed nations on earth would be if an attack occurred today. So hopefully this video demonstrates how extremely non fun a real world nuclear attack would be, without being too gruesome. This collaboration was a blast (no pun intended) and we want to say a huge thank you to the International Red Cross! Sources & further reading: https://sites.google.com/view/nuclearweapons/ Follow the show to join us in this audio experience of Kurzgesagt - In a Nutshell. A fan-made show out of admiration for the works of Kurzgesagt - In a Nutshell. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jonathan Granoff, president of the Global Security Institute, highlights the need to focus on the Rule of Law rather than Rule of War. The United Nations, although it is not perfect, is the only international organization that brings together countries of the world to deal with nuclear proliferation, climate change, human trafficking, poverty, hunger, empowering women, and scores of other challenges. Currently, there are about 13,000 nukes controlled by 9-nuclar power states.  Many countries are moving to expend trillions of dollars to modernize their nuclear stockpiles, which will add to the proliferation. Given that the US and Russia have withdrawn from several major international treaties, this creates an even more dangerous world.  The danger is even more severe when the Russian president denies the sovereignty of Ukraine and the former U.S. president basically ignores or violates international laws and treaties.  There is a lack of trust among the nations.

#ISRAEL: International Red Cross abets the PA "pay for slay" scheme   Itamar Marcus is a researcher and the founder and director of Palestinian Media Watch, which studies Palestinian society by monitoring and analyzing the Palestinian Authority through its media and schoolbooks. Malcolm Hoenlein @Conf_of_pres @mhoenlein1 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palestinian_Authority_Martyrs_Fund 1950 RAMALLAH

PREVIEW: #PA: #ISRAEL: Excerpt from a conversation with colleague Itamar Marcus of Palestinian Media Watch re how the International Red Cross enables the PA "pay-for-slay" scheme for terrorists who are rewarded by the PA with a salary for their crimes.  More later. 1950 Ramallah

On June 24, 1894, President of France Sadi Carnot was stabbed by an anarchist; on September 10, 1898, Empress Elisabeth of Austria was stabbed by an anarchist; on July 29, 1900, King Umberto I of Italy was shot by an anarchist; on September 6, 1901, President of the United States William McKinley was shot by an anarchist. If you have ever wondered why people in the 1900s right up to the Great War, and beyond, all seem to have had anarchists on the brain, those are four of the reasons. But these attention-grabbing acts were far from the first anarchist attacks to capture the public imagination, and nowhere near the most violent or destructive, as my guest today makes clear. From the mid 19th century, the combination of technological and cultural developments in mass media and in weaponry made acts of violence resonate around the globe.  “What follows,” writes James Crossland in the preface to his new book, “is the story of how…revolutionaries, thinkers, killers and spies learned a lesson as heinous as it has proved enduring, resonating with menace into our own troubled age – the means by which to  bring terror to the world.” James Crossland is Professor of International History at Liverpool John Moores University, where he is co-director of the Centre for Modern and Contemporary History. His interests are in—among other things—terrorism, propaganda, the International Red Cross and the history of international humanitarian law. His third and most recent book is The Rise of the Devils: Fear and the Origins of Modern Terrorism, and it is the subject of our conversation today.   For Further Investigation The Orsini Bomb The Paris Commune William McKinley: Death of the President Anarchist Incidents

BlackBerry recently got together several of Ireland's emergency services and public sector organisations to a private event in Dublin. They discussed the state of major emergency management in Ireland and across the EU, sharing lessons learned and best practice. Insights drawn from BlackBerry AtHoc's work with aid and emergency services organisations; from the UK's Greater Manchester Police and Civil Nuclear Constabulary, to the United States Senate and International Red Cross. Keiron Holyome, VP UKI & Emerging Markets, BlackBerry Cybersecurity was one of the speakers at the event and Ronan sat down to speak with him after the event. Kieron talks about his background, how Blackberry pivoted, the four pillars of what blackberry does and more  More about Keiron Holyome: In his role as Vice President for the UK, Ireland and Emerging Markets, Keiron applies his depth of knowledge in cybersecurity threats and AI-powered solutions to work with BlackBerry customers and prospects across a broad range of industries including public sector, manufacturing, finance and health. Keiron joined BlackBerry in 2021 from McAfee, prior to which he built his career with global IT organisations including Dell, Lenovo and Computacenter. 

Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world. Today is day 99 of the war. US bureau chief Jacob Magid joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for this one-on-one episode. Families of hostages are holding 24 hours of non-stop awareness-raising events to mark 100 days of captivity by Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Last night, the Prime Minister's Office announced in a statement that an agreement has been reached that will see vital medications delivered to hostages, via the International Red Cross. What has changed that is allowing this gesture of "semi-good will"? Early today, the US military struck another Houthi-controlled site in Yemen that it had determined was putting commercial vessels in the Red Sea at risk, a day after the US and Britain launched multiple airstrikes targeting Houthi rebels. While at a Pennsylvania bookstore on Friday, President Joe Biden was asked by the traveling press pool whether he thinks the Houthis are a terrorist organization, despite delisting them in his first year in office. “I think they are,” he said. What's happening there? We learned last week that technical conversations between the US and Saudi Arabia about a potential normalization agreement with Israel have continued amid the Israel-Hamas war, according to two senior US officials and a senior Arab diplomat. Magid tells us more. For the latest updates, please look at The Times of Israel's ongoing live blog. Discussed articles include: Live blog January 13, 2024 Vital medications to be transferred to Gaza hostages in coming days, PM's office says US hits Houthi radar site in fresh strike after threats to Red Sea shipping Biden calls Houthis a terror group, as administration weighs reapplying designation Biden: I'm quietly working with Israel to ‘significantly' lower IDF presence in Gaza Saudi normalization still possible post-war, but price for Israel is higher — officials THOSE WE HAVE LOST: Civilians and soldiers killed in Hamas's onslaught on Israel THOSE WE ARE MISSING: The hostages and victims whose fate is still unknown Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on iTunes, Spotify, PlayerFM, Google Play, or wherever you get your podcasts. IMAGE: File: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (right) during a Likud party meeting at the Knesset in Jerusalem on December 13, 2021; Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (left) speaks during the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Summit in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, December 14, 2022. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90; Bandar Aljaloud/Saudi Royal Palace via AP)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode, our Christmas Special, State of Tel Aviv brings you a “twofer”; interviews with two of this podcast's favorite voices. IDF Spokesperson, Lt. Col. Jonathan Conricus and Ya'akov Katz, former editor-in-chief of the Jerusalem Post, security political analyst, share their thoughts on the challenges of urban warfare in the Gaza Strip and the continuing toll that the hostage crisis takes on all of Israel. We also get into the extreme tension and constant hostilities on the northern front with Hizballah. More than 100,000 Israeli civilians have been evacuated from the north and have no idea as to if or when they will be able to return. Since October 7 there has been ongoing fire from Hizballah, which Israel returns. It is a spark away from becoming a raging battle. And Hizballah is much better trained and fighting with a bigger arsenal of significantly more sophisticated and harmful weapons. Katz, in particular, is concerned that the failures of military intelligence and strategy that were so apparent in the south may also be prevalent in the north. We begin with Lt. Col Conricus. The Katz interview starts at 16:28. I wanted to leave you with some brain food for the coming week. We will be slowing down until just after New Year's Day. A print piece or two may drop. But otherwise we'll lie low. Thanks again for supporting State of Tel Aviv. Best wishes for a Merry Christmas (it is Christmas Day, after all) if you celebrate. And Happy New Year to all.State of Tel Aviv is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.stateoftelaviv.com/subscribe

Kirsten Elstner is the founder and director of National Geographic Photo Camp, whose mission is to work with youth from diverse communities worldwide, guiding them as they use photography to tell their own stories and develop meaningful connections with others. Since 2003, she has worked in over 35 countries and designed over 145 programs, intending to inspire and encourage young people to see the power of their own voices. Elstner has been a photographer and teacher since completing her master's degree in photography at Ohio University. Her work has appeared in Time, Life, The New York Times, and O Globo in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, where she worked as a staff photographer. She also served as a photographer for The International Red Cross and Red Crescent in Bangladesh. Elstner taught photography at The International Center of Photography (ICP) in New York, Goucher College, the Art Institute of Boston, and the Corcoran Museum School in Washington D.C.. Resources National Geographic Photo Camp Websites Sponsors Charcoal Book Club Frames Magazine Education Resources: Momenta Photographic Workshops Candid Frame Resources Download the free Candid Frame app for your favorite smart device. Click here to download it for . Click here to download Support the work at The Candid Frame by contributing to our Patreon effort.  You can do this by visiting or the website and clicking on the Patreon button. You can also provide a one-time donation via . You can follow Ibarionex on and .

Dr Kapila has extensive experience in global and public health,  international development, humanitarian affairs, conflict and security issues, human rights, diplomacy, and social entrepreneurship, with substantive leadership roles in government, United Nations system and multilateral agencies, International Red Cross and Red Crescent, civil society, and academia. His work has taken him to some 120 countries in all continents. Originally schooled in India and England, Dr Kapila graduated in medicine from the University of Oxford and received postgraduate qualifications in public health from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.   Since 2012, Dr Kapila has been the Professor (now Emeritus) of Global Health & Humanitarian Affairs at the University of Manchester, UK, where he also founded and chaired the Manchester Global Foundation.  Since 2020, he is also Senior Adviser to the Parliamentary Assembly for the Mediterranean, the principal forum for 29 national parliaments of the Euro-Mediterranean region, deliberating on the creation of the best political, social, economic and cultural environment for fellow citizens of member states. He also serves as an adviser on several international bodies, including on the Strategic and Technical Advisory Group for Antimicrobial Resistance for the World Health Organization. After an initial clinical career (1980-1984) in hospitals and general practice in Cambridge,  and then in public health (1984-1990), including initiating and leading the first National UK HIV/AIDS Programme, Dr Kapila joined what is now called the UK Government's Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office in 1990 where he oversaw British aid health programmes in Asia and Pacific, Latin America and the Caribbean, followed by a spell based in Central and Southern Africa.   Dr Kapila was seconded by the UK Government to the United Nations in 2002-03, initially as Special Adviser to the UN Special Representative of the Secretary-General in Afghanistan and then to the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights in Geneva.  He then became the United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Co-ordinator for Sudan (2003-04), leading what was, at the time, the UN's biggest operation in the world. In 2004, he arrived at the headquarters of the World Health Organization in Geneva as Director of Emergency Response, handling major operations such as the Indian Ocean Tsunami.   In 2006, he joined the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies,  the world's largest humanitarian and development network serving in different roles such as Special Representative of the Secretary General, Director of Policy and Planning, and finally as Undersecretary General where he oversaw several transformations and strategic interventions to scale-up programming.   Dr Kapila has also served in many policy advisory roles, conducted strategic reviews and formulated new programmes with several other international agencies such as the World Bank, UNAIDS, International Labour Organization, UN OCHA and ISDR, as well as served on the Boards of the UN Institute for Training and Research, the Geneva Centre for the Democratic Control of Armed Forces, and the International Peace Academy. He was an early member of the UN Disaster Assessment and Coordination System.    He returned to the United Nations in 2015-2016 to serve as Special Adviser for the first-ever World Humanitarian Summit in Istanbul, and then in 2018-2019 to found and direct the innovative Defeat-NCD Partnership at the UN.     Additionally, he has been active in several civil society groups including chairing the Council of Minority Rights Group International, and chairing the Board of Nonviolent Peaceforce that was nominated for the 2016 Nobel Peace Prize. He has initiated new initiatives on sexual and gender based violence and, as Special Representative of the Aegis Trust,  on the prevention of genocide and other crimes against humanity.  These came out of his personal experiences in witnessing, at first hand, the genocidal atrocities in Rwanda, Srebrenica, and Darfur. Dr Kapila has been a public motivational  and keynote speaker at numerous events including at TedX, and delivered in Nairobi in 2013, the memorial lecture in honour of Nobel Prize winning environmental activist Wangari Maathai.  He has written extensively and served on editorial boards of several publications such as Global Governance and the International Journal of Humanitarian Studies. His memoir “Against a Tide of Evil” was nominated for the 2013 Best Non-Fiction Book award by the Crime Writers Association. His latest book (2019) is entitled “No Stranger to Kindness”.  Some of his other writings can be accessed on his website.   www.mukeshkapila.org Twitter @mukeshkapila

Send us a Text Message.In today's escalating humanitarian crises, the term itself is complex, influenced by various factors. The United Nations reports 235 million people needing humanitarian help, nearly double from a decade ago. These crises and the treatment of them, often rooted in colonialism, affect everything from resources to power structures, and, as discussed in the episode with Patrick Gathara, may perpetuate biased narratives by overlooking systemic issues.Against this context, Pascal Hufschmid reimagines the role of the museum. Merging art with humanitarianism, his work as Director of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Museum transforms the museum into a platform for critical societal discussions. With a background in ballet, art history, and as a United Nations tour guide, and with his commitment to art's transformative power, Pascal brings a unique perspective on these pressing matters.HW from Pascal: Be kind to yourself. That's all I have to say. I think it's so important and so true, every day. There's big research we're conducting right now in the museum with the Swiss Center for Affective Sciences. When visiting our permanent exhibition, there's a big wall with a simple question stated: "are you kind to yourself?". And we invite people to write a message of kindness to themselves and to put it up on the wall. We've received something like 10,000 messages in six months, messages that are being analyzed by two researchers who in their postdoctoral research are studying if self compassion can be taught, and what impact it has on conflicts. They're specifically studying this in the context of the conflict between Israel and Palestine: can self-compassion actually put an end to the dehumanizing process that has a soldier [choose] to kill someone, to wipe out the specificities of this person. Also, how that that dehumanization process actually helps one live with themself after what they've done. And that is hardcore research being carried out right now. And with them, we're working at the museum to invite our visitors to reflect upon self-kindness. You know, "are you okay with yourself?" ,"How can you be kind to yourself?". And these 9,000, 10,000 messages were collectively with the researchers, and it's going to be published next year: a daily self-practice guide to compassion. So yes: be kind to yourself."Mentioned:- 10 Ideas for a Caring Museum- Henri Cartier-Bresson and his Leica- Dino BuzzatiConnect:- Pascal Hufschmid LinkedIn - International Red Cross & Red Crescent Museum Twitter - International Red Cross & Red Crescent Museum Instagram- The Heart Gallery Instagram- The Heart Gallery websiteCredits:Samuel Cunningham for podcast editing, Cosmo Sheldrake for use of his song

Today's show opens with two separate items that are highly illustrative of how both politicians and the Legacy/mainstream media manipulate you with half-truths, conflated items, out-of-context narratives and what amounts to nothing by propaganda. Learning how to listen for those conceits and how to debunk the premise upon which they like to build their arguments is key to shooting down their Leftist agenda. In the first item, a Senator from the Green Party in Ireland wants her country to believe that all rights are limited and, for the greater good, that also includes speech. She builds her argument on a false premise, that laws restrict freedom. This is preposterous. To agree with her is to agree that freedom equals anarchy, where there are no guidelines to restrict bad behavior. Lawlessness is not the same thing as freedom and liberty. Her second flaw is in trying to convince people that if you hurt someone's feelings simply because you do not agree with them, is the same as physically harming a person. In her mind, she says it's important not to misgender someone and for the common good, they need laws to punish those who might do such a thing. Here is yet another example of a blithering idiot. The next item we discuss is a breaking news story from over the weekend about Covid cases rising heading into the Christmas season. I break down nearly every line of the story, pointing out their use of click-bait terminology and fear porn to emotionally control you over a nothing story. I then move onto the wealth amassed by many of the leaders of the Palestinian Authority and it should make you angry. So much money sent by the West is what is allowing terrorism to continue. It's not getting to the people, but staying with the leaders who only want to see the extinction of all Jews and the eradication of the state of Israel. We then get a historical reminder of how the International Red Cross told us there was no evidence of tunnels around hospitals or hostages being hidden there. It is eerily similar to a report in 1944 stating that there was no trace of installations for exterminating prisoners at Auschwitz! Moving to the economy, I play a short clip from a woman who is married and they both have full-time jobs. They are seeing their dollar stretch less and less and they are starting to worry about their own finances. This leads to a discussion over growing credit card debt and for people to start putting a budget in place for the holidays. There was a massive march against anti-Semitism in London and there was no violence, no genocidal chants and no hatred. Funny how all of that comes from the Left and Leftists who only agree with cultures of death, control and submission. Maybe it's because they want to control everyone themselves. Finally, we get a quote from over the weekend from President Joe Biden. Audaciously, he believes Hamas attacked Israel because he was getting very close to bringing peace to the region. This blithering idiot is trying to take credit for the Abraham Accords initiated and implemented by President Donald Trump. What should we expect from a massive narcissist who has made a career of stealing, cheating, lying and plagiarizing at every step? Take a moment to rate and review the show and then share the episode on social media. You can find me on Facebook, X, Instagram, GETTR and TRUTH Social by searching for The Alan Sanders Show. You can also support the show by visiting my Patreon page!

Hostage release by Hamas has begun as part of the four-day halt in fighting between Israel and Hamas. Among the hostages very young children. Who knows what Hamas will have done to those children while being held hostage? We do know they committed atrocities toward Israeli children on October 7. Guest has harsh comments directed toward the International Red Cross today on 'X'. Guest: Vivian Bercovici. Former Canadian Ambassador to Israel. StateofTelAviv.com. Weekly newsletter and podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today's podcast: Israel's Ambassador to Canada speaks to the four day truce/pause in Israel's war with Hamas and the hostage release. - Also the unabated anti semitism displayed openly in Canada, as well as the IPSOS poll for Global News showing large numbers of Canadians want Canada to adopt a neutral position in the war. Guest: Iddo Moed. Israel Ambassador to Canada. (fifth visit on RGS since and including October 7) Durham Regional Police in Ontario placed an online ad offering sex with minors. In four days 6,678 clicks. Five individuals arrested and charged with child luring offences. Exactly what Carol Todd has been internationally warning about since her daughter Amanda committed suicide after being sexually lured/threatened/blackmailed online by Aydin Cobin before committing suicide at 15 years of age in 2012. Cobin's next court appearance in the Netherlands in December. Guest: Carol Todd. Amanda Todd Legacy (.org) Hostage release by Hamas has begun as part of the four-day halt in fighting between Israel and Hamas. Among the hostages very young children. Who knows what Hamas will have done to those children while being held hostage? We do know they committed atrocities toward Israeli children on October 7. Guest has harsh comments directed toward the International Red Cross today on 'X'. Guest: Vivian Bercovici. Former Canadian Ambassador to Israel. StateofTelAviv.com. Weekly newsletter and podcast. National IPSOS poll for Global News. The predominant view among Canadians is Canada should be neutral re the Israel-Hamas war. - That and additional questions concerning Canadian public opinion/choices/concerns. Are Canadians still listening to, the current federal government and its proclamations/direction? The Economic Update? Climate change? Housing initiatives? Inflation/cost of living? Guest: Darrell Bricker. CEO IPSOS Public Affairs. --------------------------------------------- Host/Content Producer – Roy Green Technical/Podcast Producer – Tom Craig Podcast Co-Producer – Tom McKay If you enjoyed the podcast, tell a friend! For more of the Roy Green Show, subscribe to the podcast! https://globalnews.ca/roygreen/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Israel says 24 hostages released by Hamas in Gaza are all in good health and are having medical tests in Israel, before they're reunited with their families. We hear from the brother of a female hostage still to be released. Also in the programme: the mystery cosmic ray; and Joan Armatrading's new symphony. (Picture: Hostages who were abducted by Hamas gunmen during the October 7 attack on Israel are handed over by Hamas militants to the International Red Cross. Credit: REUTERS)

Jen Psaki sets up the chilling warnings from even Donald Trump himself about what a potential second term for the former President would look like. She is joined by Rep. Jamie Raskin. Plus Neal Katyal and Andrew Weissmann break down the new filing from Trump's legal team pushing to have his federal trial televised. Hisham Mhanna of the International Red Cross joins Jen live from Gaza. And Jen heads to Georgia to catch up with Senator Raphael Warnock for his “Weekend Routine”.Check out our social pages below:https://twitter.com/InsideWithPsakihttps://www.instagram.com/InsideWithPsaki/https://www.tiktok.com/@insidewithpsakihttps://www.msnbc.com/jen-psaki

Today I have got the honor of talking to Dr. Mukesh Kapila about the Israel-Hamas war and the wider situation within the Middle East.  Dr Kapila has extensive experience in global and public health,  international development, humanitarian affairs, conflict and security issues, human rights, diplomacy, and social entrepreneurship, with substantive leadership roles in government, United Nations system and multilateral agencies, International Red Cross and Red Crescent, civil society, and academia. His work has taken him to some 120 countries in all continents. Originally schooled in India and England, Dr Kapila graduated in medicine from the University of Oxford and received postgraduate qualifications  in public health from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.   Since 2012, Dr Kapila has been the Professor (now Emeritus) of Global Health & Humanitarian Affairs at the University of Manchester, UK where he also founded and chaired the Manchester Global Foundation.  Since 2020, he is also Senior Adviser to the Parliamentary Assembly for the Mediterranean, the principal forum for 29 national parliaments of the Euro-Mediterranean region deliberating on the creation of the best political, social, economic and cultural environment for fellow citizens of member states. He also serves as adviser on several international bodies including on the Strategic and Technical Advisory Group for Antimicrobial Resistance for the World Health Organization. After an initial clinical career (1980-1984) in hospitals and general practice in Cambridge,  and then in public health (1984-1990) including initiating and leading the first National UK HIV/AIDS Programme, Dr Kapila joined what is now called the UK Government's Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office in 1990 where he oversaw British aid health programmes in Asia and Pacific, Latin America and Caribbean, followed by a spell based in Central and Southern Africa.   Dr Kapila was seconded by the UK Government to the United Nations in 2002-03 initially as Special Adviser to the UN Special Representative of the Secretary General in Afghanistan and then to the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights in Geneva.  He then became the United Nations' Resident and Humanitarian Co-ordinator for Sudan (2003-04) leading what was at the time, the UN's biggest operation in the world.  in 2004, he arrived at the headquarters of the World Health Organization in Geneva as Director for Emergency Response handling major operations such as for the Indian Ocean Tsunami.   In 2006, he joined the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies,  the world's largest humanitarian and development network serving in different roles such as Special Representative of the Secretary General, Director of Policy and Planning, and finally as Undersecretary General where he oversaw several transformations and strategic interventions to scale-up programming.   Dr Kapila has also served in many policy advisory roles, conducted strategic reviews and formulated new programmes with several other international agencies such as the World Bank, UNAIDS, International Labour Organization, UN OCHA and ISDR, as well as served on the Boards of the UN Institute for Training and Research, the Geneva Centre for the Democratic Control of Armed Forces, and  the International Peace Academy. He was an early member of the UN Disaster Assessment and Coordination System.    He returned to the United Nations in 2015-2016 to serve as Special Adviser for the first-ever World Humanitarian Summit in Istanbul, and then in 2018-2019 to found and direct the innovative Defeat-NCD Partnership at the UN.     Additionally, he has been active in several civil society groups including chairing the Council of Minority Rights Group International, and chairing the Board of Nonviolent Peaceforce that was nominated for the 2016 Nobel Peace Prize. He has initiated new initiatives on sexual and gender based violence and, as Special Representative of the Aegis Trust,  on the prevention of genocide and other crimes against humanity.  These came out of his personal experiences in witnessing, at first hand, the genocidal atrocities in Rwanda, Srebrenica, and Darfur. Dr Kapila has been a public motivational  and keynote speaker at numerous events including at TedX, and delivered in Nairobi in 2013, the memorial lecture in honour of Nobel Prize winning environmental activist Wangari Maathai.  He has written extensively and served on editorial boards of several publications such as Global Governance and the International Journal of Humanitarian Studies. His memoir “Against a Tide of Evil” was nominated for the 2013 Best Non-Fiction Book award by the Crime Writers Association. His latest book (2019) is entitled “No Stranger to Kindness”.  Some of his other writings can be accessed on his website.   www.mukeshkapila.org Twitter @mukeshkapila

This week, we have Robert Carolina, General Counsel from Internet Systems Consortium joining Dave and Ben to discuss Quad9 DNS filter court case. Ben and Dave discuss an article from the International Red Cross looking at 8 rules for “civilian hackers” during war, and 4 obligations for states to restrain them. While this show covers legal topics, and Ben is a lawyer, the views expressed do not constitute legal advice. For official legal advice on any of the topics we cover, please contact your attorney.  Links to stories: 8 rules for “civilian hackers” during war, and 4 obligations for states to restrain them Got a question you'd like us to answer on our show? You can send your audio file to caveat@thecyberwire.com. Hope to hear from you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

*) Türkiye holding negotiations over Israeli civilians in Hamas detention President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has increased Türkiye's diplomatic efforts in securing the release of Israeli civilians from besieged Gaza even as Hamas freed a woman and her two children in the first release of Israelis detained by Palestinian fighters. "They are negotiating to secure the release of the hostages," an official source said, confirming a report by the private TV channel Haberturk. "We are ready to do everything in our power, including mediation and fair arbitration to end the conflict quickly," Anadolu Agency quoted Erdogan as saying. Erdogan separately criticised Israel over its disproportionate attacks on Gaza that could bring Tel Aviv into an undesirable place in the eyes of world public opinion. *) Gaza death toll climbs to 1,200, with 5000 others wounded Gaza's Health Ministry has announced that the number of Palestinians killed in Israeli attacks has climbed to around 1,200, with nearly 5,000 wounded. More than 338,000 people have been forced to flee their homes in besieged Gaza, the United Nations said, as heavy Israeli bombardments continue to hit the Palestinian enclave. The number of displaced in the densely populated territory of 2.3 million people had by late Wednesday "risen by an additional 75,000 people and reached 338,934," the UN added. *) UN agency seeks $104M in urgent Gaza aid as humanitarian crisis deepens The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (or UNRWA) has said it was seeking $104 million for life-saving aid to Gaza, which has been pounded by Israeli reprisal strikes following attacks by Hamas against Israel. "The requested funds will cover the urgent immediate food, non-food, health, shelter and protection needs of up to 250,000 persons seeking safety in UNRWA shelters across the ravaged Gaza and another 250,000 Palestine refugees within the community," according to the UN. UNRWA, which was already facing financial difficulties, said it had enough funding to continue its regular services, including education, healthcare and social protection, across the region until the end of October. *) Several UN, aid group workers killed in ruthless Israeli strikes on Gaza Eleven workers with the UN Palestinian refugee agency have been killed in Israeli air strikes on besieged Gaza since Saturday, and five members of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent have also been killed in the conflict, the organisations said. "We are very saddened to confirm that 11 UNRWA colleagues have been killed since 7 October in the Gaza Strip," UNRWA said in a statement on Wednesday. It did not specify if they were Palestinian or foreign personnel but said they included five teachers at UNRWA schools, one gynaecologist, one engineer, one psychological counsellor and three support staff. The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) said in a separate statement that five of its members - four in Gaza and one in Israel - had been killed. *) Putin in Kyrgyzstan on first trip since ICC arrest warrant Vladimir Putin has arrived in Kyrgyzstan, visiting abroad for the first time since the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for him in March. President Putin is wanted by the court over the deportation of Ukrainian children. Its ruling requires members of the ICC, which does not include Kyrgyzstan, to make the arrest if he sets foot on their territory. This year, he has travelled only to Russian-occupied parts of Ukraine, with his last foreign trips to Belarus and Kyrgyzstan last December — a far cry from the busy international schedule he had earlier in his rule.

Why do toxic behaviors persist in workplaces despite efforts for a healthier work culture? Find out how to discern healthy behaviors from toxic ones and learn what you can do to cope successfully with toxic relationships and environments. Anna Eliatamby is a clinical psychologist and workplace well-being expert who has played a pivotal role in developing mental health, responsible leadership and well-being strategies for global organizations, including the UN, International Red Cross and Red Crescent, and PwC. She is the Director of HealthyLeadership CIC, a collective that encourages individuals and organizations to foster decency and make positive changes. Anna is also the author of the Decency Journey Series, a collection of compact and practical pocketbooks designed to help individuals flourish in their careers and workplaces.   Originally aired as episode 96. If you enjoy the show, please rate it on Spotify or iTunes. Your ratings help more people like you discover the podcast!   Episode Highlights 2:56 Why do people engage in toxic behavior? 6:22 The combination of toxic behavior and positive intent 9:37 Impacts of toxic behavior 12:32 Toxic behaviors can cause inadvertent self-sabotage 14:44 The difference between holding someone accountable and blaming 17:31 The mindset behind toxic behaviors 19:55 Assessing our own toxic tendencies 26:08 Critical skills and expectations for confronting toxic behaviors 30:14 More techniques for coping with toxic behaviors 33:10 The importance of self-care when coping with toxic behavior 34:28 Practical considerations, and pitfalls, for deciding on a coping strategy 39:14 Key ingredient for outgrowing our own toxic attendances   Anna's view on the greatest unmet wellbeing need at work today "I think the greatest unmet need is that we must address the negative the toxicity at the same time as we're adding to the positive and teaching people about things like compassion, both are necessary." What “working with humans” means to Anna “It's a lovely phrase, and I think it is just that to remember that we are human beings, we all are. And that should be the center from which we work. So if we're human we work with compassion, with respect, with decency -- with ourselves and with other people.”   Resources Follow: Anna on LinkedIn Visit: Healthy Leadership CIC Read: the Decency Journey series of books   ©Michael Glazer   ©Michael Glazer

The International Red Cross steps up efforts to cope with the exodus of ethnic-Armenians. Also: Kyiv claims the Admiral in charge of Russia's Black Sea Fleet died following Ukraine's recent attacks in occupied Crimea, and could scientists have cracked one of mankind's embarrassing problems -- how do you get rid of smelly garlic breath?

The International Red Cross was born on this day in 1864. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Saving lives isn't something most of us do all the time, but today's guest makes a habit of it! She's a Christian Arab who grew up in Nazareth surrounded by people of many faiths. She found her passion when she joined Magen David Adom (MDA), Israel's national emergency medical service and representative to the International Red Cross. Yasmeen Mazzawi joined MDA in her teenage years and was immediately impacted by the important work this organisation does across the community. Even though she's now living a European country while studying, she still volunteers with MDA every time she returns home. Yasmeen quickly learned that comforting compassion is a dialect that speaks across language barriers, and she's seen the power of Christ's love reaching others regardless of their faith or mother tongue. Yasmeen knows her very actions can speak gospel truth as she literally binds up the brokenhearted in their moments of greatest need. She helps us understand how we can reach others who don't share our Christian faith and helps us see how God can turn even the most difficult of situations into His opportunities. When we meet people with different cultures, languages, and beliefs we can find ways to reveal God to them. Yasmeen helps us understand why and how we can do that through love and compassion. Presented by Sharon Tedford. Produced by Gary Dell. Find out more about us at www.anchor.fm/god-in-the-ordinary and www.61-things.com/gito

Why do toxic behaviors persist in workplaces despite efforts for a healthier work culture? Find out how to discern healthy behaviors from toxic ones and learn what you can do to cope successfully with toxic relationships and environments. Anna Eliatamby is a clinical psychologist and workplace well-being expert who has played a pivotal role in developing mental health, responsible leadership and well-being strategies for global organizations, including the UN, International Red Cross and Red Crescent, and PwC. She is the Director of HealthyLeadership CIC, a collective that encourages individuals and organizations to foster decency and make positive changes. Anna is also the author of the Decency Journey Series, a collection of compact and practical pocketbooks designed to help individuals flourish in their careers and workplaces. ©Michael Glazer

A CEO of Marketing steps down, an anti-woke beer and Miller High Life is destroyed. There is a new dating trend amongst Gen Z. Phil Jackson is not watching basketball anymore since they are too "woke." New guidelines have been put out by the International Red Cross for playing video games. Youtuber, Trevor Sellers, made a controversial video about feeding the homeless. A bus driver loses his job for intentionally slamming on the brakes. Dr. Ian Smith has a new book out called, The Met Flex Diet.

Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 15-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world, from Sunday through Thursday. Zman Yisrael editor Biranit Goren and health reporter Renee Ghert-Zand join host Amanda Borschel-Dan on this episode marking Yom Hashoah, Israel's National Holocaust Remembrance Day. Even as President Isaac Herzog called for the Israeli people to put aside their differences over the judicial overhaul last night during the official ceremony marking Yom Hashoah at Yad Vashem, in Tel Aviv MK Boaz Bismuth of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud party was forced to leave a ceremony at a synagogue after participants heckled him and threatened violence. Why does this worry Goren ahead of next weeks Memorial Day ceremonies? In the year since 2022's Yom Hashoah, the Tracing Services at Magen David Adom — the Israeli branch of the International Red Cross — has received 150 requests for help in locating relatives and renewing family ties. Over the years, it has aided in the reunion of hundreds of relatives, including six siblings. How does it go about this work eight decades following World War II? Israel's Labor party suffered a crushing blow in the November elections and now the four-seat party seems to be in disarray. This week we heard that it's dropped out of the judicial overhaul negotiation talks at the President's Residence and yesterday we learned that its few MKs are forcing leader Merav Michaeli to get their approval for her decisions. What's happening here? Finally, we hear about a European grassroots effort in which several young leaders are taking the initiative and organizing coexistence clean-up projects for the thousands of Stolpersteine or stumbling blocks that are embedded in sidewalks in European towns and cities. Discussed articles include: Israel grinds to a halt as siren wails to commemorate 6 million Holocaust victims As Israel remembers Holocaust, Herzog says commemoration must be ‘above all dispute' Likud MK shouted down by anti-coalition hecklers at Holocaust Remembrance Day event Magen David Adom aids Shoah survivors seeking lost relatives Labor MKs seek to replace leader Michaeli, claim party's future depends on it Citing ‘deals in the dark,' Labor party quits judicial overhaul talks with president In grassroots effort, young Europeans clean ‘stumbling stones' to gleam like beacons Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on iTunes, Spotify, PlayerFM, Google Play, or wherever you get your podcasts. IMAGE: Visitors at Yad Vashem in Jerusalem light memorial candles dedicated to individuals killed in the Holocaust, April 17, 2023. (Yad Vashem)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this deeply moving episode from 2020 the New York Times bestselling author Ariana Neuman told her father's extraordinary story for the very first time. Hans Neumann was a young Jewish man from Prague who managed to outwit the Nazis and survive the Holocaust. Ariana Neumann grew up in the Venezuela of the 1970s and 1980s. This was a land of possibility and progress. Her father Hans Neumann - a hugely successful industrialist and patron of the arts – epitomised both these characteristics. But while Hans was outwardly a paragon of success and strength, there were parts of his private self that were unsettling to his close family. He would wake at night screaming in a language his daughter did not understand. He hardly ever mentioned his childhood in central Europe. He never said that he was Jewish. ‘Life,' he would tell his daughter, ‘was to be lived in the present.' On his death in September 2001, Ariana discovered a box of papers and photographs that her father had left her. They became the starting point for a personal investigation into her father's European family and an unspoken history of horrific persecution and enthralling survival during the Holocaust. This episode of Travels Through Time was recorded on the 75th anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz death camp in Poland. During the course of this conversation Ariana guides us back to the drama and tragedy of the year 1944: a defining year for the Neumann family of Prague. To see Hans's doll, Zdenka ring and the Jan's identity card – some of the objects discussed during the course of this conversation – please visit our website. When Time Stopped was published internationally in February 2020. It was an instant New York Times Bestseller. Show notes: Scene One: June 23 1944, Red Cross Visit to the Camp of Terezín, CZ. The place is beautified. Thousands are sent to Auschwitz to ease overcrowding and a charade is enacted to fool the International Red Cross inspectors. Scene Two: September 29/30 1944, The arrival of transport EI in Auschwitz, Poland. Scene Three: October 9 1944, Berlin Germany. Hans Neumann has been hiding in plain sight and using a fictitious identity. He receives a summons (issued October 5th) to appear in the Nazi District Court in Prague. Going back to Prague and appearing in court would, almost certainly, mean death. Memento: The sound of Otto Neumann humming the folk song Golem. People/Social Presenter: Peter Moore Guest: Ariana Neumann Producer: Maria Nolan

She's one of the world's most effective champions of women's rights, human rights, and democratic values. For Women's History Month, we speak with Felice Gaer, director of American Jewish Committee's Jacob Blaustein Institute for the Advancement of Human Rights. Gaer, who fights for religious freedom, the rights of women, and against antisemitism, highlights the importance of women's voices in an often-male dominated field. She has been appointed to the US Commission on International Religious Freedom, serving five terms (three as chair and two as vice chair), and was the first American elected to serve on the UN's Committee Against Torture.  *The views and opinions expressed by guests do not necessarily reflect the views or position of AJC. _____ Episode Lineup:  (0:40) Felice Gaer _____ Show Notes:   Read: JBI Appeal on the One-Year Anniversary of the Russian Invasion of Ukraine   Listen: 10 Trailblazing Jewish Women on AJC's People of the Pod Dr. Ahmed Shaheed on first UN human rights report wholly dedicated to antisemitism    Follow People of the Pod on your favorite podcast app, and learn more at AJC.org/PeopleofthePod   You can reach us at: peopleofthepod@ajc.org   If you've enjoyed this episode, please be sure to tell your friends, tag us on social media with #PeopleofthePod, and hop onto Apple Podcasts to rate us and write a review, to help more listeners find us. _____   Transcript of Interview with Felice Gaer   Manya Brachear Pashman:   Felice Gaer has served as the director of AJC's Jacob Blaustein Institute for the Advancement of human rights, affectionately known here as JBI since 1993. During that time, she has specifically focused on the rights of religious freedom, the rights of women, the prohibition of torture and the struggle against antisemitism globally. She has been appointed a public member of at least nine US delegations to United Nations Human Rights negotiations, including the Vienna World Conference on human rights in 1993. And the Beijing World Conference on Women in 1995. She was the first American elected to serve on the UN's Committee Against Torture. In fact, she served five terms, and she was appointed to the US Commission on International Religious Freedom, where she served as chair and advised the President and Congress on US human rights policy.    And even though she's not a lawyer or a court justice, on March 30, she receives the Honorary Member award of the American Society of International Law, the preeminent international society in this field, as we mark International Women's Day this week and women's history this month, Felice is with us now to discuss today's human rights challenges and the challenges she has faced as a woman in the Human Rights world.    Felice, welcome to People of the Pod.    Felice Gaer:   Thank you, Manya.   Manya Brachear Pashman:   So let's start with the beginning. Can you share with our listeners a little about your upbringing, and how Jewish values shaped what you do today?   Felice Gaer:   Well, I had a fairly ordinary upbringing in a suburb of New York City that had a fairly high percentage of Jews living in it–Teaneck, New Jersey. I was shaped by all the usual things in a Jewish home. First of all, the holidays. Secondly, the values, Jewish values, and awareness, a profound awareness of Jewish history, the history of annihilation, expulsion, discrimination, violence. But also the Jewish values of universality, respect for all human life, equality before the law, sense of realism, sense that you can change your life by what you do, and the choices that you make. These are all core Jewish values. And I guess I always have found the three part expression by Rabbi Hillel to sum up the approach I've always taken to human rights and most other things in life. He said, If I'm not for myself, who will be, and if I'm only for myself, what am I? And if not now, when? So that's a sense of Jewish particularism, Jewish universalism, and realism, as well.   Manya Brachear Pashman:   You went to Wellesley, class of 1968, it's an all-women's college. Was there a strong Jewish presence on campus there at a time? And did that part of your identity even play a role in your college experience?    Felice Gaer :  Well, I left, as I said, a town that had a fairly sizable Jewish population. And I went to Wellesley and I felt like I was in another world. And so even as long ago as 1964-65, that era, I actually reached out to Hillel and participated in very minor activities that took place, usually a Friday night dinner, or something like that. But it really didn't play a role except by making me recognize that I was a member of a very small minority.   Manya Brachear Pashman:   Here on this podcast, we've talked a lot about the movement to free Soviet Jewry. As you pursued graduate work at Columbia, and also during your undergrad days at Wellesley, were you involved in that movement at all?   Felice Gaer:   Well, I had great interest in Russian studies, and in my years at Wellesley, the Soviet Union movement was at a very nascent stage. And I remember arguments with the Soviet Ambassador coming to the campus and our specialist on Russian history, arguing about whether this concern about the treatment of Soviet Jews was a valid concern.  The professor, who happened to have been Jewish, by the way, argued that Jews in the Soviet Union were treated badly, but so was everybody else in the Soviet Union. And it really wasn't something that one needed to focus on especially. As I left Wellesley and went to Columbia, where I studied political science and was at the Russian Institute, now the Harriman Institute, I found that the treatment of Soviet Jews was different in many ways, and the capacity to do something about it was serious.  We knew people who had relatives, we knew people who wanted to leave. The whole Soviet Union movement was focused around the desire to leave the country–not to change it–that was an explicit decision of Jewish leaders around the world, and in the Soviet Union itself. And so the desire to leave was something you could realize, document the cases, bring the names forward, and engage American officials in a way that the Jewish community had never done before with cases and examples demanding that every place you went, every negotiation that took place, was accompanied by lists of names and cases, whose plight will be brought to the attention of the authorities. And that really mobilized people, including people like me.  I also worked to focus on the agenda of internal change in the Soviet Union. And that meant also looking at other human rights issues. Why and how freedom of religion or belief was suppressed in this militantly atheist state, why and how freedom of expression, freedom of association, and just about every other right, was really severely limited. And what the international standards were at that time. After I left Columbia, that was around the time that the famous manifesto from Andrei Sakharov, the world famous physicist, Nobel Prize winner, was made public. It was around the time that other kinds of dissident materials were becoming better known about life inside the Soviet Union post-Khrushchev.   Manya Brachear Pashman:   So you left Colombia with a master's degree, the Cold War ends, and you take a job at the Ford Foundation that has you traveling all around Eastern Europe, looking to end human rights abuses, assessing the challenges that face that region. I want to ask you about the treatment of women, and what you witnessed about the mistreatment of women in these regions. And does that tend to be a common denominator around the world when you assess human rights abuses?   Felice Gaer:   Well, there's no question that the treatment of women is different than the treatment of men. And it's true all over the world. But when I traveled in Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union in the height of those years, height of the Cold War, and so forth, the issues of women's rights actually weren't one of the top issues on the agenda because the Soviet Union and East European countries appeared to be doing more for women than the Western countries.  They had them in governance. They had them in the parliament. They purported to support equality for women. It took some years for Soviet feminists, dissidents, to find a voice and to begin to point out all the ways in which they were treated in the same condescending, patriarchal style as elsewhere. But in those years, that was not a big issue in the air.  It was unusual for me, a 20-something year old woman from the United States to be traveling around Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union, meeting with high officials and others, and on behalf of the Ford Foundation, trying to develop programming that would involve people to people contacts, that would involve developing programs where there was common expertise, like management training, and things of that sort. And I was really an odd, odd duck in that situation, and I felt it.   Manya Brachear Pashman:   I mentioned in my introduction, the Beijing World Conference on Women, can you reflect a little on what had a lasting impact there?   Felice Gaer:   Well, the Beijing World Conference on Women was the largest, and remains the largest conference that the United Nations has ever organized. There were over 35,000 women there, about 17,000 at the intergovernmental conference. I was on the US delegation there.  The simple statement that women's rights are human rights may seem hackneyed today. But when that was affirmed in the 1995 Beijing Outcome Document, it was a major political and conceptual breakthrough. It was largely focused on getting the UN to accept that the rights of women were actually international human rights and that they weren't something different. They weren't private, or outside the reach of investigators and human rights bodies. It was an inclusive statement, and it was a mind altering statement in the women's rights movement.  It not only reaffirmed that women's rights are human rights, but it went further in addressing the problems facing women in the language of human rights.  The earlier world conferences on women talked about equality, but they didn't identify violations of those rights. They didn't demand accountability of those rights. And they said absolutely nothing about creating mechanisms by which you could monitor, review, and hold people accountable, which is the rights paradigm. Beijing changed all that. It was a violations approach that was quite different from anything that existed before that.   Manya Brachear Pashman :  Did anything get forgotten? We talked about what had a lasting impact, but what seems to have been forgotten or have fallen to the wayside?   Felice Gaer:   Oh, I think it's just the opposite. I think the things that were in the Beijing conference have become Fuller and addressed in greater detail and are more commonly part of what goes on in the international discourse on women's rights and the status of women in public life. And certainly at the international level that's the case.  I'll give you just one example, the Convention Against Torture. I mean, when I became a member of the committee, the 10 person committee, I was the only woman. The committee really had, in 11 years, it had maybe said, four or five things about the treatment of women. And the way that torture, ill treatment, inhuman, degrading treatment may affect women.  It looked at the world through the eyes of male prisoners in detention. And it didn't look at the world through the eyes of women who suffer private violence, gender based violence, that is that the state looks away from and ignores and therefore sanctions, and to a certain extent endorses.  And it didn't identify the kinds of things that affect women, including women who are imprisoned, and why and where in many parts of the world. What one does in terms of education or dress or behavior may lead you into a situation where you're being abused, either in a prison or outside of prison. These are issues that are now part of the regular review, for example, at the Committee Against Torture, issues of of trafficking, issues of gender based violence, the Sharia law, the hudud punishments of whipping and stoning, are part of the concern of the committee, which they weren't before.   Manya Brachear Pashman:   In other words, having that woman's perspective, having your perspective on that committee was really important and really changed and broadened the discussion.   Felice Gaer:   Absolutely. When I first joined the committee, the first session I was at, we had a review of China. And so I very politely asked a question about the violence and coercion associated with the population policy in China, as you know, forced abortions and things of that sort. This was a question that had come up before the women's convention, the CEDAW, and I thought it was only appropriate that it also come up in the Committee Against Torture.  In our discussion afterwards, the very stern chairman of the committee, a former constable, said to me, ‘You know, this might be of interest to you, Ms. Gaer, but this has nothing to do with the mandate of this committee.' I explained to him why it did, in some detail. And when I finished pointing out all of those elements–including the fact that the people carried out these practices on the basis of state policy–when I finished, there was a silence.  And the most senior person in the room, who had been involved in these issues for decades, said, ‘I'm quite certain we can accommodate Ms. Gaer's concerns in the conclusions,' and they did.  That's the kind of thing that happens when you look at issues from a different perspective and raise them.   Manya Brachear Pashman:   You talked about being an odd duck in your 20s, as a woman traveling around Eastern Europe, trying to address these challenges. I'm curious if that woman in her 20s would have been able to stand up to this committee like that, and give that thorough an explanation? Or did it take some years of experience, of witnessing these issues, perhaps being ignored?    Felice Gaer:  Well, I think as we go through life, you learn new things. And I learned new things along the way. I learned about the universal norms, I learned about how to apply them, how they had been applied, and how they hadn't been applied. And in that process, developed what I would say is a sharper way of looking at these issues.  But the Bosnian conflict in particular, made the issue of gender based violence against women, especially in war, but not only in war, into a mainstream issue, and helped propel these issues, both inside the United Nations and outside, the awareness changed.  I remember asking the International Red Cross representatives in Croatia, just across the border from Bosnia, if they had encountered any victims of gender based violence or rape, and they said, ‘No.' And I said, ‘Did you ask them about these concerns?' And they sort of looked down and looked embarrassed, looked at each other and looked back at me and said, ‘Oh.' There were no words. There were no understandings of looking at the world this way. And that has changed. That has changed dramatically today. I mean, if you look at the situation in Ukraine, the amount of gender based violence that has been documented is horrifying, just horrifying, but it's been documented.   Manya Brachear Pashman   So is the world of human rights advocacy male-dominated, female-dominated, is it fairly balanced these days? And has that balance made the difference in what you're talking about?   Felice Gaer:   You know, I wrote an article in 1988, the 40th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, about why women's rights weren't being addressed. And one of the points I drew attention to was the fact that the heads of almost all the major organizations at the time were all male. And that it wasn't seen as a concern. A lot of that has changed. There's really a real variety of perspectives now that are brought to bear.   Manya Brachear Pashman:   So we've talked a lot about the importance of [a] woman's perspective. Does a Jewish perspective matter as well?   Felice Gaer:   Oh, on every issue on every issue and, you know, I worked a great deal on freedom of religion and belief, as an issue. That's a core issue of AJC, and it's a fundamental rights issue. And it struck me as surprising that with all the attention to freedom of religion, the concern about antisemitic acts was not being documented by mainstream human rights organizations. And it wasn't being documented by the UN experts on freedom of religion or belief either. I drew this to the attention of Dr. Ahmed Shaheed, who was recently ending his term as Special Rapporteur on Freedom of religion or belief. And he was really very struck by this. And he went, and he did a little bit of research. And he found out that since computerized records had been prepared at the United Nations, that there had been no attention, no attention at all, to cases of alleged antisemitic incidents. And he began a project to record the kinds of problems that existed and to identify what could be done about it. We helped him in the sense that we organized a couple of colloquia, we brought people from all over the world together to talk about the dimensions of the problem and the documentation that they did, and the proposals that they had for addressing it. And he, as you may recall, wrote a brilliant report in 2019, setting out the problems of global antisemitism. And he followed that up in 2022, before leaving his position with what he called an action plan for combating antisemitism, which has concrete specific suggestions for all countries around the world as to what they can do to help combat antisemitism and antisemitic acts, including and to some extent, starting with adopting the working definition on antisemitism of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance, but also activities in in the area of education, training, training of law enforcement officials, documentation and public action. It's a real contribution to the international discourse and to understanding that freedom of religion or belief belongs to everyone.   Manya Brachear Pashman:   And do you believe that Dr. Shaheed's report is being absorbed, comprehended by those that need to hear it that need to understand it?   Felice Gaer   I've been delighted to see the way that the European Union has engaged with Dr. Shaheed and his report has developed standards and expectations for all 27 member states, and that other countries and other parts of the world have done the same. So yeah, I do think they're engaging with it. I hope there'll be a lot more because the problem has only grown.   Manya Brachear Pashman:   On the one year anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, JBI issued a report that sounded the alarm on the widespread violations committed against Ukrainians, you mentioned the amount of gender based violence Since that has taken place, and the other just catastrophic consequences of this war. Felice, you've been on the front row of Eastern European affairs and human rights advocacy in that region. From your perspective, and I know this is a big question: How did this war happen?   Felice Gaer:   I'll just start by saying: it didn't start in 2022. And if you have to look at what happened, the events of 2014, to understand the events of 2022. Following the breakup of the Soviet Union, or even during the breakup, there was a period where the 15th constituent Union republics of the Soviet Union developed a greater national awareness, really, and some of them had been independent as some of them hadn't been, but they developed a much greater awareness. When the Soviet Union collapsed, the 15 countries, including Russia, as one of the 15, became independent entities. And aside from having more members in the United Nations and the Council of Europe and places like that, it led to much more robust activity, in terms of respecting human rights and other areas of endeavor in each of those countries.  The situation in Russia, with a head of state who has been there, with one exception, a couple of years, for 20 years, has seen an angry desire to reestablish an empire. That's the only thing you can say really about it.  If they can't dominate by having a pro-Russian group in charge in the country, then there have been invasions, there have been Russian forces, Russia-aligned forces sent to the different countries. So whether it's Georgia, or Moldova, or Ukraine, we've seen this pattern.  And unfortunately, what happened in 2022, is the most egregious and I would say, blatant such example. In 2014, the Russians argued that it was local Russian speaking, little green men who were conducting hostilities in these places, or it was local people who wanted to realign with Russia, who were demanding changes, and so forth. But in the 2022 events, Russia's forces invaded, wearing Russian insignia and making it quite clear that this was a matter of state policy that they were pursuing, and that they weren't going to give up.  And it's led to the tragic developments that we've all seen inside the country, and the horrific violence, the terrible, widespread human rights violations. And in war, we know that human rights violations are usually the worst.  And so the one good spot on the horizon: the degree to which these abuses have been documented, it's unprecedented to have so much documentation so early in a conflict like this, which someday may lead to redress and accountability for those who perpetrated it. But right now, in the middle of these events, it's just a horror.   Manya Brachear Pashman:   What other human rights situations do we need to be taking more seriously now? And where has there been significant progress?   Felice Gaer:   Well, I'll talk about the problem spots if I may for a minute. Everyone points to North Korea as the situation without parallel, that's what a UN Commission of Inquiry said, without parallel in the world. The situation in Iran? Well, you just need to watch what's happened to the protesters, the women and others who have protested over 500 people in the streets have died because of this. 15,000 people imprisoned, and Iran's prisons are known for ill treatment and torture.  The situation in Afghanistan is atrocious. The activities of the Taliban, which they were known for in the 1990s are being brought back. They are normalizing discrimination, they are engaged in probably the most hardline gender discrimination we've seen anywhere where women can't work outside the home, girls can't be educated, political participation is denied. The constitution has been thrown out. All kinds of things. The latest is women can't go to parks, they can't go to university, and they can't work for NGOs. This continues. It's a major crisis.  Well, there are other countries, from Belarus, to Sudan to Uzbekistan, and China, that we could also talk about at great length, lots of problems in the world, and not enough effort to expose them, address them and try to ameliorate them.   Manya Brachear Pashman   So what do we do about that? What can our listeners do about that, when we hear this kind of grim report?   Felice Gaer:   Work harder. Pay attention when you hear about rights issues. Support rights organizations. Take up cases. Seek redress. Be concerned about the victims. All these things need to be done.   Manya Brachear Pashman:   I don't know how you maintain your composure and your cool, Felice, because you have faced so much in terms of challenges and push back. So thank you so much for all you have done for women, for the Jewish people, and for the world at large. Thank you, thank you, thank you.   Felice Gaer:   Thank you, Manya.

The Syrian government says it will allow aid agencies to deliver humanitarian aid across government lines to earthquake victims in rebel-controlled territory. We speak to the International Red Cross and hear of the continuing search for survivors under the rubble in Turkey as well as an opposition Turkish MP. Also in the programme: The collapse of the government in Moldova and has a campaign to boycott a new Harry Potter video game failed? (Photo shows an armed man standing near a convoy carrying humanitarian aid to be taken to Syria's quake-hit northwest in the Aleppo Governorate, Syria. Credit: Orhan Qereman/Reuters)

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