Podcasts about Special rapporteur

Shadow Negotiators: How UN Organizations Shape the Rules of World Trade for Food Security (Stanford University Press, 2023) by Dr. Matias E. Margulis is the first book to demonstrate that United Nations (UN) organizations have intervened to influence the discourse, agenda, and outcomes of international trade lawmaking at the World Trade Organization (WTO). While UN organizations lack a seat at the bargaining table at the WTO, Dr. Margulis argues that these organizations have acted as "shadow negotiators" engaged in political actions intended to alter the trajectory and results of multilateral trade negotiations. He draws on analysis of one of the most contested issues in global trade politics, agricultural trade liberalization, to demonstrate interventions by four different UN organizations—the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the World Food Programme (WFP), the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), and the Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food (SRRTF). By identifying several novel intervention strategies used by UN actors to shape the rules of global trade, this book shows that UN organizations chose to intervene in trade lawmaking not out of competition with the WTO or ideological resistance to trade liberalization, but out of concerns that specific trade rules could have negative consequences for world food security—an outcome these organizations viewed as undermining their social purpose to reduce world hunger and protect the human right to food. This interview was conducted by Dr. Miranda Melcher whose book focuses on post-conflict military integration, understanding treaty negotiation and implementation in civil war contexts, with qualitative analysis of the Angolan and Mozambican civil wars. You can find Miranda's interviews on New Books with Miranda Melcher, wherever you get your podcasts.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

Shadow Negotiators: How UN Organizations Shape the Rules of World Trade for Food Security (Stanford University Press, 2023) by Dr. Matias E. Margulis is the first book to demonstrate that United Nations (UN) organizations have intervened to influence the discourse, agenda, and outcomes of international trade lawmaking at the World Trade Organization (WTO). While UN organizations lack a seat at the bargaining table at the WTO, Dr. Margulis argues that these organizations have acted as "shadow negotiators" engaged in political actions intended to alter the trajectory and results of multilateral trade negotiations. He draws on analysis of one of the most contested issues in global trade politics, agricultural trade liberalization, to demonstrate interventions by four different UN organizations—the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the World Food Programme (WFP), the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), and the Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food (SRRTF). By identifying several novel intervention strategies used by UN actors to shape the rules of global trade, this book shows that UN organizations chose to intervene in trade lawmaking not out of competition with the WTO or ideological resistance to trade liberalization, but out of concerns that specific trade rules could have negative consequences for world food security—an outcome these organizations viewed as undermining their social purpose to reduce world hunger and protect the human right to food. This interview was conducted by Dr. Miranda Melcher whose book focuses on post-conflict military integration, understanding treaty negotiation and implementation in civil war contexts, with qualitative analysis of the Angolan and Mozambican civil wars. You can find Miranda's interviews on New Books with Miranda Melcher, wherever you get your podcasts.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/political-science

Shadow Negotiators: How UN Organizations Shape the Rules of World Trade for Food Security (Stanford University Press, 2023) by Dr. Matias E. Margulis is the first book to demonstrate that United Nations (UN) organizations have intervened to influence the discourse, agenda, and outcomes of international trade lawmaking at the World Trade Organization (WTO). While UN organizations lack a seat at the bargaining table at the WTO, Dr. Margulis argues that these organizations have acted as "shadow negotiators" engaged in political actions intended to alter the trajectory and results of multilateral trade negotiations. He draws on analysis of one of the most contested issues in global trade politics, agricultural trade liberalization, to demonstrate interventions by four different UN organizations—the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the World Food Programme (WFP), the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), and the Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food (SRRTF). By identifying several novel intervention strategies used by UN actors to shape the rules of global trade, this book shows that UN organizations chose to intervene in trade lawmaking not out of competition with the WTO or ideological resistance to trade liberalization, but out of concerns that specific trade rules could have negative consequences for world food security—an outcome these organizations viewed as undermining their social purpose to reduce world hunger and protect the human right to food. This interview was conducted by Dr. Miranda Melcher whose book focuses on post-conflict military integration, understanding treaty negotiation and implementation in civil war contexts, with qualitative analysis of the Angolan and Mozambican civil wars. You can find Miranda's interviews on New Books with Miranda Melcher, wherever you get your podcasts.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/world-affairs

Shadow Negotiators: How UN Organizations Shape the Rules of World Trade for Food Security (Stanford University Press, 2023) by Dr. Matias E. Margulis is the first book to demonstrate that United Nations (UN) organizations have intervened to influence the discourse, agenda, and outcomes of international trade lawmaking at the World Trade Organization (WTO). While UN organizations lack a seat at the bargaining table at the WTO, Dr. Margulis argues that these organizations have acted as "shadow negotiators" engaged in political actions intended to alter the trajectory and results of multilateral trade negotiations. He draws on analysis of one of the most contested issues in global trade politics, agricultural trade liberalization, to demonstrate interventions by four different UN organizations—the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the World Food Programme (WFP), the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), and the Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food (SRRTF). By identifying several novel intervention strategies used by UN actors to shape the rules of global trade, this book shows that UN organizations chose to intervene in trade lawmaking not out of competition with the WTO or ideological resistance to trade liberalization, but out of concerns that specific trade rules could have negative consequences for world food security—an outcome these organizations viewed as undermining their social purpose to reduce world hunger and protect the human right to food. This interview was conducted by Dr. Miranda Melcher whose book focuses on post-conflict military integration, understanding treaty negotiation and implementation in civil war contexts, with qualitative analysis of the Angolan and Mozambican civil wars. You can find Miranda's interviews on New Books with Miranda Melcher, wherever you get your podcasts.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/food

Shadow Negotiators: How UN Organizations Shape the Rules of World Trade for Food Security (Stanford University Press, 2023) by Dr. Matias E. Margulis is the first book to demonstrate that United Nations (UN) organizations have intervened to influence the discourse, agenda, and outcomes of international trade lawmaking at the World Trade Organization (WTO). While UN organizations lack a seat at the bargaining table at the WTO, Dr. Margulis argues that these organizations have acted as "shadow negotiators" engaged in political actions intended to alter the trajectory and results of multilateral trade negotiations. He draws on analysis of one of the most contested issues in global trade politics, agricultural trade liberalization, to demonstrate interventions by four different UN organizations—the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the World Food Programme (WFP), the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), and the Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food (SRRTF). By identifying several novel intervention strategies used by UN actors to shape the rules of global trade, this book shows that UN organizations chose to intervene in trade lawmaking not out of competition with the WTO or ideological resistance to trade liberalization, but out of concerns that specific trade rules could have negative consequences for world food security—an outcome these organizations viewed as undermining their social purpose to reduce world hunger and protect the human right to food. This interview was conducted by Dr. Miranda Melcher whose book focuses on post-conflict military integration, understanding treaty negotiation and implementation in civil war contexts, with qualitative analysis of the Angolan and Mozambican civil wars. You can find Miranda's interviews on New Books with Miranda Melcher, wherever you get your podcasts.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/law

Shadow Negotiators: How UN Organizations Shape the Rules of World Trade for Food Security (Stanford University Press, 2023) by Dr. Matias E. Margulis is the first book to demonstrate that United Nations (UN) organizations have intervened to influence the discourse, agenda, and outcomes of international trade lawmaking at the World Trade Organization (WTO). While UN organizations lack a seat at the bargaining table at the WTO, Dr. Margulis argues that these organizations have acted as "shadow negotiators" engaged in political actions intended to alter the trajectory and results of multilateral trade negotiations. He draws on analysis of one of the most contested issues in global trade politics, agricultural trade liberalization, to demonstrate interventions by four different UN organizations—the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the World Food Programme (WFP), the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), and the Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food (SRRTF). By identifying several novel intervention strategies used by UN actors to shape the rules of global trade, this book shows that UN organizations chose to intervene in trade lawmaking not out of competition with the WTO or ideological resistance to trade liberalization, but out of concerns that specific trade rules could have negative consequences for world food security—an outcome these organizations viewed as undermining their social purpose to reduce world hunger and protect the human right to food. This interview was conducted by Dr. Miranda Melcher whose book focuses on post-conflict military integration, understanding treaty negotiation and implementation in civil war contexts, with qualitative analysis of the Angolan and Mozambican civil wars. You can find Miranda's interviews on New Books with Miranda Melcher, wherever you get your podcasts.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Shadow Negotiators: How UN Organizations Shape the Rules of World Trade for Food Security (Stanford University Press, 2023) by Dr. Matias E. Margulis is the first book to demonstrate that United Nations (UN) organizations have intervened to influence the discourse, agenda, and outcomes of international trade lawmaking at the World Trade Organization (WTO). While UN organizations lack a seat at the bargaining table at the WTO, Dr. Margulis argues that these organizations have acted as "shadow negotiators" engaged in political actions intended to alter the trajectory and results of multilateral trade negotiations. He draws on analysis of one of the most contested issues in global trade politics, agricultural trade liberalization, to demonstrate interventions by four different UN organizations—the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the World Food Programme (WFP), the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), and the Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food (SRRTF). By identifying several novel intervention strategies used by UN actors to shape the rules of global trade, this book shows that UN organizations chose to intervene in trade lawmaking not out of competition with the WTO or ideological resistance to trade liberalization, but out of concerns that specific trade rules could have negative consequences for world food security—an outcome these organizations viewed as undermining their social purpose to reduce world hunger and protect the human right to food. This interview was conducted by Dr. Miranda Melcher whose book focuses on post-conflict military integration, understanding treaty negotiation and implementation in civil war contexts, with qualitative analysis of the Angolan and Mozambican civil wars. You can find Miranda's interviews on New Books with Miranda Melcher, wherever you get your podcasts.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/book-of-the-day

Angel Studios https://Angel.com/TODD Storm the theaters on July 4 and help make Young Washington the #1 movie in America. Join the Angel Guild today for $15/month and receive two free tickets to see Young Washington this Independence Day. Absolute Ministries https://AMgive.org/TODD Your gift helps people overcome addiction, find hope and purpose, and experience lasting change through a Christ-centered system of care. Together, we can support sustainable transformation that goes far beyond temporary sobriety.  Alan's Soap https://AlansSoaps.com/Todd  Honor John's memory and the legacy he created for Ian and Alan with Alan's Artisan Soaps “John's Favorites” bundle.  Get one bar of each of his favorites for only $28.99.  Bulwark Capital https://KnowYourRiskPodcast.com Be confident in your portfolio with Bulwark! Schedule your free Know Your Risk Portfolio review. Go to KnowYourRiskPodcast.com today.  Renue Healthcare https://Renue.Healthcare/Todd Your journey to a better life starts at Renue Healthcare. Visit https://Renue.Healthcare/Todd  Bonefrog https://BonefrogCoffee.com/Todd Get the new limited release, The Sisterhood, created to honor the extraordinary women behind the heroes. Use code TODD at checkout to receive 10% off your first purchase and 15% on subscriptions. LISTEN and SUBSCRIBE at: The Todd Herman Show - Podcast - Apple Podcasts The Todd Herman Show | Podcast on Spotify WATCH and SUBSCRIBE at:  Todd Herman - The Todd Herman Show - YouTubeThe Deep State Lost a Round but Gained a Digital ID BillThe unelected bureaucrats and technocrats that hold power in D.C., lost a round in the latest SCOTUS ruling on the Executive branch. But, they gained a Digital ID Bill. I'll explain… The House Just Voted for KOSA, a Privacy and Free Speech Disaster. The Senate is the next stop closer to an identity-gated internet becoming the law of the land.ABC Whines SCOTUS Case Allows Trump to ‘Stick His Fingers in' ‘Independent' AgenciesAs part of the MSNOW meltdown over SCOTUS ruling that presidents can fire executive branch agency officials, Barb McQuade calls it: “Sky is falling moment!" January 2010. Obama's DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano announces that she signed the Haitian TPS order:  "It will be good for 18 months from the date of the issuance. So that will be in July of 2011." CNN's Audie Cornish: Ending Birthright Citizenship Would ‘Piss Off' New Parents 1993. Dianne Feinstein: Should people be able to come to this country, get on Medicaid, give birth to a baby, and then go back to their home country? The answer is no.  Democrats used to be somewhat sane. Those days are long gone. ALARMING HARM: HPV Vaccine INCREASES HPV Rates & Ovarian Damage in Girls – Dr. Brian Hooker, PhD. The Gardasil HPV vaccine doesn't even prevent HPV. Florida's Medicaid database was analyzed, comparing vaccinated vs. unvaccinated girls. Meet Tlaleng Mofokeng, the U.N. Special Rapporteur on health. She praised Hamas, promoted prostitution in Teen Vogue, and called British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak “filthy.” After tyrants and NGOs like Amnesty International lined up to praise her, Hillel Neuer took the floor: Nutty Nicolle Wallace: Trump 'Literally Muzzled' Media, Obama Had 'No Scandals'

CLIMATE ACTION SHOWJUNE 22nd 2026Produced by Vivien Langford S A N T A   M A R T A M O M E N T U M  &   S E T B A C KGuestsProfessor Elisa Morgera U.N. Special Rapporteur on Climate Change and Human rightsShe is  Professor of International Law and Sustainability at Durham University (UK) and Professor in International and European Union Environmental Law at the University of Eastern Finland. Her Report to UN 2025https://www.durham.ac.uk/research/institutes-and-centres/csdlp/news-and-events/news/2025/elisa-morgera-report-on-energy-transition-at-the-unga/ Stientje van Veldhoven - Netherlands Climate MinisterDescribing the talks as an "accelerator of work", she stated that Santa Marta provided an essential, informal space to collaborate and solve problems without the "de facto vetoes" that often stall formal U.N. (COP) negotiations.  Irene Velez Torres - Colombia Environment MinisterShe criticized governments for listening to "disinformation and lobbying" and argued that the Santa Marta talks were designed to close the growing gap between science and political decision-making. Ana Carolina Gonzalez Espinosa - A prominent  Climate Leader in Latin AmericaShe serves as the Senior Program Director at the Natural Resource Governance Institute (NRGI) and is a well-known associate researcher at the Universidad Externado de Colombia. Juan Carlos Monterrey Gomez  - Panama As Panama's first Special Representative for Climate Change, he became the youngest lead negotiator in UN history at age 28.  President of Colombia Gustavo Petro -  He made decarbonization and anti-extractivism central to his governance, advancing the global phase-out of fossil fuels, campaigning for a Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty, and committing Colombia to a 51% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030.He committed to stopping new oil, coal, and gas exploration contracts, attempting to break Colombia's historic dependence on resource extraction Fergus Green - 2015 Interview from 3CR Archive in celebration of its 50th birthday and contribution to public education on climate actionHe is  now Associate Professor, University College LondonConsultant - climate change policy, law and politicsIn 2015 just before the Paris Climate Conference Fergus spoke to me at Melbourne University about phasing out fossil fuels. His example of the  successful 1989 diplomatic initiative, led by Prime Minister Bob Hawke (alongside French Prime Minister Michel Rocard), to stop mining in Antarctica is still a beacon today.By Fergus Greenhttps://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/american-political-science-review/article/how-to-get-coal-country-to-vote-for-climate-policy-the-effect-of-a-just-transition-agreement-on-spanish-election-results/25FE7B96445E74387D598087649FDCC3 BREAKING NEWSThe news that the Colombian Government is now in the hands of a Trump Ally is a real setback for many of the gains made by Gustavo Petro's Government. "Abelardo de la Espriella, the apparent winner of the presidential election, has vowed to expand oil, gas and mining production". I wonder what will happen to all the talent flowering at the Santa Marta Conference. See the previous programmes on Santa Marta in the Climate Action Podcast list to know which voices are out of power..... for the moment.https://insideclimatenews.org/news/22062026/colombia-de-la-espriella-presidency-fracking-projects/Background to achievement of outgoing Colombian President Gustavo PetroHe spearheaded regional efforts to protect the Amazon rainforest, hosting global summits to prevent the biome from reaching an ecological "point of no return. In today's speech he mentions the rivers in the sky which brings water from forest transpiration to the uplands of the Andes. The severe drought of 2024/25 raised awareness of the results of deforestation in the Amazon.https://blogs.worldbank.org/en/latinamerica/mantenerse-unidos-tiempos-crisis-lecciones-gestion-sequias-bogota  

Across Africa, norms regulating the conduct of hostilities long predate the codification of modern international humanitarian law (IHL). The ICRC Tool on African traditions and the preservation of humanity in warfare highlights how many African societies developed rules limiting violence, protecting civilians, and preserving human dignity during conflict. These traditions resonate strongly with contemporary IHL principles and offer important insights for current efforts to protect children affected by armed conflict. At a time when children continue to face killing and maiming, attacks on schools and hospitals, recruitment, displacement, and profound psychological harm, grounding humanitarian protection in both legal obligations and culturally rooted values can strengthen efforts to uphold humanity during war. In this post, Professor Robert Doya Nanima, Member of the African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Child, and Special Rapporteur on Children Affected by Armed Conflict, reflects on the relevance of the ICRC Tool through the lens of the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child. Drawing connections between African traditions, IHL, and African Union frameworks such as Agenda 2040 and Agenda 2063, he argues that the protection of children in conflict requires breaking down institutional silos and placing children at the center of humanitarian action.

Irish Barrister in London, Specialising in Human Rights & Civil Liberties and Ireland's Special Rapporteur for Child Protection Caoilfhionn Gallagher joins Shane to place her favourite book on The Hard Shoulder's bookshelf!

Despite sanctions and repeated condemnation against the Burmese military, the ruling junta continues to unleash brutal attacks against its own people, including religious minorities such as Muslim-majority Rohingya and Christian-majority Chin, Kachin, and Karen communities. Several global efforts to hold the Burmese military accountable through a variety of international legal mechanisms are now underway.On this episode of the USCIRF Spotlight podcast, Commissioner Stephen Schneck speaks with Tom Andrews, former Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar, as well as Arsalan Suleman, a partner at Foley Hoag's International Litigation and Arbitration Practice. They focus their discussion on the ongoing case in the International Court of Justice which prosecutes the Burmese government's role in the Rohingya genocide.

Host/Producer: Amy Browne Following up on yesterday’s report, today organizers of The Consequence of Palestine- (Maine Coalition for Palestine, www.mvprights.org/ -weigh in on the controversy in a press release. Resources included with the press release: “[E]stablished case law pertaining to nearly identical conferences and academic events” provided by organizers “Trump Administration Concedes U.S. Researchers may Talk with Francesca Albanese, Special Rapporteur on Palestine, Despite Sanctions” – “The First Amendment generally forecloses the government from using its sanctions authority to suppress the exchange of ideas—and it certainly prohibits the government from preventing scholars from engaging with one of the foremost experts in their field,” says Xiangnong (George) Wang, staff attorney at the Knight First Amendment Institute. “The Treasury Department's concession is a significant reprieve to the many American scholars, journalists, and advocates that have been chilled from exercising their rights because they fear liability under U.S. sanctions laws.” “OFAC SIGNALS POLICY CHANGE ON HOLDING CONFERENCES WITH SANCTIONED SPEAKERS” – “Marking what appears to be a reversal of previous policy, the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) determined that US persons can, subject to certain limitations, include sanctioned persons as speakers at overseas conferences without specific authorization.” “The authority granted to the president of the United States under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) does not authorize the regulation or prohibition of most types of communication that do not involve the transfer of anything of value (50 USC § 1702(b)(1)). The Berman Amendment, added to IEEPA in 1988, stipulates that the president cannot regulate or ban the import or export of “informational materials” to or from adversarial nations or individuals.” “By reversing its stance in the GPE case, and by issuing the letter as part of the public record in the court proceedings, OFAC appears content to publicly clarify and refine its position on this issue: allowing sanctioned individuals to speak at events organized by US citizens is not a service so long as no financial transactions or other exchanges of benefits take place” Letter to Middle East Studies Association from OFAC Media Advisory – The Consequence of Palestine, February 16 Support for Francesca Albanese, UN Special Rapporteur for the Occupied Palestinian Territories: 30 Jewish Organizations: We Support UN Human Rights Rapporteur Francesca Albanese, Independent Jewish Voices, Canada, November 5, 2024 “Jewish Voice for Peace strongly condemns the Trump administration's announcement of sanctions against UN Special Rapporteur on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, Francesca Albanese. This is a blatantly political attack that seeks to silence Palestinian rights advocates and undermine international law”, social media post “Impunity will end: Francesca Albanese keeps hopeful”, Jewish Voice for Liberation, Wed 28 Jan 2026 Links from Part 1 (aired 2/25/26): “The Consequence of Palestine” Conference Coming to USM, Munjoy Hill News, Portland, 18 February 2026 (NOTE: CANCELLED) Press Statement, US Imposing Sanctions on Francesca Albanese, the United Nations Human Rights Council Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights in the Palestinian Territories Occupied since 1967, Marco Rubio, Secretary of State, 9 July 2025 Report: “Gaza Genocide: a collective crime” by the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian territories occupied since 1967, United Nations Francesca Albanese, United Nations Special Rapporteur on the occupied Palestinian territories Global: European states must retract outrageous attacks on UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese, Amnesty International, 13 Feb 2026 They tried to silence her – they failed, Jewish Voice for Liberation, 23 Feb 2025 About the host: Amy Browne started out at WERU as a volunteer news & public affairs producer in 2000, co-hosting/co-producing RadioActive with Meredith DeFrancesco. She joined the team of Voices producers a few years later, and has been WERU's News & Public Affairs Manager since January, 2006. In addition to RadioActive, Voices, Maine Currents and Maine: The Way Life Could Be, Amy also produced and hosted the WERU News Report for several years. She has produced segments for national programs including Free Speech Radio News, This Way Out, Making Contact, Workers Independent News, Pacifica PeaceWatch, and Live Wire News, and has contributed to Democracy Now and the WBAI News Report. She is the recipient of the 2014 Excellence in Environmental Journalism Award from the Sierra Club of Maine, and Maine Association of Broadcasters awards for her work in 2017 and 2021. Theme music: BreakBeat Chemists I, 2015 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives 4.0 International License The post Around Town 2/26/26: Local News, Culture and Events first appeared on WERU 89.9 FM Blue Hill, Maine Local News and Public Affairs Archives.

Host/Producer: Amy Browne “The Consequence of Palestine” Conference Coming to USM, Munjoy Hill News, Portland, 18 February 2026 (NOTE: CANCELLED) Press Statement, US Imposing Sanctions on Francesca Albanese, the United Nations Human Rights Council Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights in the Palestinian Territories Occupied since 1967, Marco Rubio, Secretary of State, 9 July 2025 Report: “Gaza Genocide: a collective crime” by the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian territories occupied since 1967, United Nations Francesca Albanese, United Nations Special Rapporteur on the occupied Palestinian territories Global: European states must retract outrageous attacks on UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese, Amnesty International, 13 Feb 2026 They tried to silence her – they failed, Jewish Voice for Liberation, 23 Feb 2025 About the host: Amy Browne started out at WERU as a volunteer news & public affairs producer in 2000, co-hosting/co-producing RadioActive with Meredith DeFrancesco. She joined the team of Voices producers a few years later, and has been WERU's News & Public Affairs Manager since January, 2006. In addition to RadioActive, Voices, Maine Currents and Maine: The Way Life Could Be, Amy also produced and hosted the WERU News Report for several years. She has produced segments for national programs including Free Speech Radio News, This Way Out, Making Contact, Workers Independent News, Pacifica PeaceWatch, and Live Wire News, and has contributed to Democracy Now and the WBAI News Report. She is the recipient of the 2014 Excellence in Environmental Journalism Award from the Sierra Club of Maine, and Maine Association of Broadcasters awards for her work in 2017 and 2021. Theme music: BreakBeat Chemists I, 2015 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives 4.0 International License The post Around Town 2/25/26: Local News, Culture and Events first appeared on WERU 89.9 FM Blue Hill, Maine Local News and Public Affairs Archives.

In this episode of the Human Rights Podcast, Saeede Mokhtarzade, PhD candidate at ICHR speaks with Prof. Roja Fazaeli, professor of Law and Islamic Studies at ICHR. The discussion explores the current human rights crisis in Iran, with a focus on the nationwide protests that began in December 2025. The conversation explores the roots of the uprising, the government's violent crackdown on protestors, and the responses of the international community. Drawing on human rights expert analysis and firsthand accounts, the conversation examines the roots of the uprising, the role of international human rights bodies, and the ongoing struggle for justice and accountability in Iran. The episode highlights systematic violations of human rights in Iran, including the gravest violations of human rights, such as extrajudicial killings, torture, and enforced disappearances, and considers the challenges of pursuing legal remedies through international mechanisms. The episode highlights the urgent need for accountability, justice, and international solidarity, while emphasising the importance of documenting and supporting victims. The discussion is informed by the latest resolution adopted by the UN Human Rights Council, which extends the mandates of the Independent International Fact-Finding Mission and the Special Rapporteur on Iran. For more information, you can access the following links: - https://www.ohchr.org/en/media-advisories/2026/01/human-rights-council-adopts-resolution-extending-mandates-fact-finding - https://www.ohchr.org/en/hr-bodies/hrc/ffm-iran/index The podcast was produced by Saeede Mokhtarzade in collaboration with the CELT Studios. Intro music: “Smarties Intro – FMA Podcast Suggestion” by Birds for Scale (Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License). Outro music: “Smarties Outro - FMA Podcast Suggestion” by Birds for Scale (Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License).

In this episode, we sat down with Tom Andrews, UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar and Director of the Asia Center and the Southeast Asia Human Rights Project at Harvard University. Marking the fifth anniversary of the 2021 military coup in Myanmar (Burma), Tom examines the escalating atrocity risks for populations amidst the junta's ongoing "elections" and how the coup has shaped the ongoing crises across the country. Tom also discusses how he has leveraged his role as Special Rapporteur to highlight enablers of atrocities and explore avenues for justice, among other issues. He also addresses the critical role of civil society and discusses what the international community must do differently to respond more effectively to the myriad crises in Myanmar today.

Caoilfhionn Gallagher, Special Rapporteur on Child Protection, on the Grok artificial intelligence tool being used to create sexually explicit images of adults and children.

In this special episode with Olivier De Schutter, UN Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights, we explore where global efforts stand today to combat poverty and how international actors can strengthen their support, particularly through a human-rights lens. The discussion brings what an effective path forward might look like in today's complex global context, and how poverty, as a deeply transversal issue, is interlinked with a myriad of other major themes requiring international and national attention. Our regular podcast episodes will take a short break in January 2026, but we will be back in February with exciting guests and new social protection topics. In the meantime, we leave you with our special TRANSFORM podcast series, which will feature two more episodes: one to be released later this month and the other in January. Stay tuned!   Meet our guests: Olivier De Schutter, UN Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights For our Quick Wins segment, we have Marco Knowles, Senior Social Protection Officer at FAO, talking about the latest publication on social protection for rural populations within green climate fund projects. We also discuss the latest development on COP30 in Belém and the advocacy efforts that have been made so far. Publication: Weathering the storm: poverty, climate change and social protection Publication| Breaking the cycle: ending the criminalization of homelessness: Report of the Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights, Olivier De Schutter Publication | The Poverty of Growth Publication | Eradicating poverty beyond growth: Report of the Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights, Olivier De Schutter Publication | Non-take-up of rights in the context of social protection: Report of the Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights, Olivier De Schutter Publication | Social protection and inclusive climate action – A review of social protection for rural populations within Green Climate Fund projects    

YCBN 154 - The Gaza Genocide - A System of Global Complicity Report of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian territories occupied since 1967, Francesca Albanese Gaza Genocide: a collective crime https://www.ohchr.org/sites/default/files/documents/hrbodies/hrcouncil/coiopt/a-80-492-advance-unedited-version.pdf YouCantBeNeutral.com MovingTrainMedia.com movingtrainradio.com

This is the second episode of "Gaza & the World," a weekly podcast from Just World Educational, hosted by our president, Helena Cobban. This project explores the many interactions between the ongoing, genocidal crisis in Gaza and the world-changing shifts that the global balance of power is currently undergoing.In this episode, Helena's guest is JWE's valued board member Prof. Richard Falk, a veteran scholar of international law who has also served a crucial term as the UN's Special Rapporteur on Palestinian rights. Shortly before joining this conversation Falk had presided over  the final, four-day-long session of the globe-girdling Gaza People's Tribunal, which was held in Istanbul Türkiye. The two discussed the tribunal's conclusion that Israel had committed genocide, and explored the tribunal's findings on the multiple forms that genocide has taken, including domicide and ecocide. They discussed the complicity of Western governments. Falk also analyzed the failures of the United Nations, especially the Security Council, contrasting it with the more principled stances of the International Court of Justice and UN Special Rapporteurs.  He argued that despite Israel's military dominance, it had lost the "legitimacy war," which he believed would ultimately be the decisive factor, drawing parallels with other anti-colonial struggles in the past. We're planning to release new episodes weekly, each Wednesday. Be sure to catch them all!Support the show

Figures from TUSLA show that it inquired into less than one-in-five referrals it received about child welfare issues in parts of Dublin earlier this year.What does this say about the system? And, what needs to change?Joining Ciara Doherty to discuss is Jennifer Whitmore, Social Democrats TD for Wicklow and Caoilfhionn Gallagher, Special Rapporteur on Child Protection.

Day 1,316.Today, as fears are sounded over the state of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, we hear how Princess Anne has made a surprise visit to Kyiv to “demonstrate solidarity” with Ukrainian children and families affected by the conflict. Then we report how French authorities have seized a shadow fleet tanker and Polish police arrested a Ukrainian man for the Nordstream 2 pipeline sabotage. Later, you'll hear Dom's interview with the UN's Special Rapporteur for Torture, Alice Edwards, and a note: our discussion covers graphic descriptions of sexual torture. Contributors:Dominic Nicholls (Associate Editor of Defence). @DomNicholls on X.India McTaggart (Royal Correspondent). @indiamctaggart on X.With special thanks to Alice Edwards.BOOK NOW: 'UKRAINE: THE LATEST' LIVE, IN-PERSON:Join us for an in-person discussion and Q&A at the distinguished Honourable Artillery Company in London on 22nd October at 7pm.Our panel includes General Sir Richard Barrons, former head of UK Joint Forces Command and latterly one of the authors of Britain's Strategic Defence Review, and Orysia Lutsevych, head of the Ukraine Forum at the Chatham House think tank. Tickets are open to everybody and can be purchased at: telegraph.co.uk/ukrainelive They are going fast, so don't delay!SIGN UP TO THE ‘UKRAINE: THE LATEST' WEEKLY NEWSLETTER:http://telegraph.co.uk/ukrainenewsletter Each week, Dom Nicholls and Francis Dearnley answer your questions, provide recommended reading, and give exclusive analysis and behind-the-scenes insights – plus maps of the frontlines and diagrams of weapons to complement our daily reporting. It's free for everyone, including non-subscribers.CONTENT REFERENCED:Leaders press to reshape EU under Putin's aggressive shadow:https://www.politico.eu/article/leaders-press-to-reshape-eu-under-vladimir-putin-russia-aggressive-shadow/LISTEN TO THIS PODCAST IN NEW LANGUAGES:The Telegraph has launched translated versions of Ukraine: The Latest in Ukrainian and Russian, making its reporting accessible to audiences on both sides of the battle lines and across the wider region, including Central Asia and the Caucasus. Just search Україна: Останні Новини (Ukr) and Украина: Последние Новости (Ru) on your on your preferred podcast app to find them. Listen here: https://linktr.ee/ukrainethelatestSubscribe: telegraph.co.uk/ukrainethelatestEmail: ukrainepod@telegraph.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dr Ebun Joseph, Special Rapporteur for racial equality and racism Ireland, and CEO & founder of the Institute of Anti-racism and Black Studies, weighs in on the Eoin Hayes 'blackface' controversy.

Conor Lally, Irish Times Crime and Security Editor and Caoilfhionn Gallagher, human rights lawyer and Ireland's Special Rapporteur on Child Protection

Caoilfhionn Gallagher, Ireland's Special Rapporteur on Child Protection, assesses the details of the case of Kyran Durnin.

Recently, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio imposed sanctions on the UN Special Rapporteur on the Occupied Palestinian Territories, Francesca Albanese, saying, “The United States has repeatedly condemned and objected to biased and malicious activities of Albanese that have long made her unfit for service as a Special Rapporteur.”  Today we are joined by three of Albanese's predecessors—John Dugard, Richard Falk, and Michael Lynk, who talk about what these sanctions mean. They trace the United States' and Israel's longstanding attacks on not only Special Rapporteurs on Palestine, but the very claims to Palestinian rights. This latest instance is a particularly egregious attack on the UN and international law. We end with a plea to the international community to come to the aid of the Palestinian people, who are suffering famine, disease, and warfare of immense proportions.John Dugard SC, Emeritus Professor of Law, Universities of the Witwatersrand and Leiden; Member of Institut de Droit International; ; Director of Lauterpacht Centre for International Law, Cambridge (1995-1997); Judge ad hoc  International Court of Justice (2000-2018); Member of UN International Law Commission (1997 -2011); UN Special Rapporteur on Situation of Human Rights in Occupied Palestinian Territory (2001-2008); Legal Counsel, South Africa v Israel (Genocide Convention).Richard Falk is Albert G. Milbank Professor Emeritus of International Law at Princeton University (1961-2001) and Chair of Global Law, Faculty of Law, Queen Mary University London. Since 2002 has been a Research Fellow at the Orfalea Center of Global and International Studies at the University of California, Santa Barbara. Between 2008 and 2014 he served as UN Special Rapporteur on Israeli Violations of Human Rights in Occupied Palestine.Falk has advocated and written widely about ‘nations' that are captive within existing states, including Palestine, Kashmir, Western Sahara, Catalonia, Dombas.Falk has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize several times since 2008.Michael Lynk was a member of the Faculty of Law, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada between 1999 and his retirement in 2022. He taught courses in labour, human rights, disability, constitutional and administrative law. He served as Associate Dean of the Faculty between 2008-11. He became Professor Emeritus in 2023.In March 2016, the United Nations Human Rights Council unanimously selected Professor Lynk for a six-year term as the 7th Special Rapporteur for the human rights situation in the Palestinian Territory occupied since 1967. He completed his term in April 2022.He has written about his UN experiences in a 2022 book co-authored with Richard Falk and John Dugard, two of his predecessors as UN special rapporteurs: Protecting Human Rights in Occupied Palestine: Working Through the United Nations (Clarity Press).Professor Lynk's academic scholarship and his United Nations reports have been cited by the Supreme Court of Canada, the International Court of Justice, the International Criminal Court and the United Nations General Assembly.  

In face of the climate emergency, integrating social protection into countries' nationally determined contributions (NDCs) is essential for supporting vulnerable communities, advancing low-carbon transitions, and unlocking climate finance to expand adaptive social protection systems. With many countries set to update these critical climate instruments under the scope of the Paris Agreement, this is a critical moment to explore the topic.  In this episode, we examine how social protection is being woven into national climate policies, with a spotlight on Cambodia's pioneering approach—not only mentioning social protection but recognising it as a distinct sector in its new NDC 3.0. We delve deeper to discuss what it takes to bridge climate action and social protection, from building resilience and inclusive adaptation, to unlocking climate finance and coordinating across ministries.  Meet our guest:   Dr. Matthew Walsham, Social Protection Specialist (Climate), Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO).  Mr. Sophornreaksmey Sreng, Deputy Secretary General, General Secretariat for the National Social Protection Council, Kingdom of Cambodia.  For our Quick Wins segment, we are joined by Sayanti Sengupta, Technical Advisor for Social Protection & Climate at the Red Cross Red Crescent Climate Centre, expanding on concrete steps countries can take to advance the critical agenda of integrating social protection into NDCs.   References:  Publication | Integration social protection in Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs)  Publication | Weathering the storm: poverty, climate change and social protection: Report of the Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights  Database |  Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) Registry | UNFCCC 

Headlines for July 23, 2025; Palestinian American Student & Dad: 200 Relatives Killed in Gaza; VCU Withholds Diploma for Protest; Israel Waging “Fastest Starvation Campaign” in Modern History in Gaza: U.N. Special Rapporteur on Food; “Big Fat Bribe”: Stephen Colbert’s Show Canceled After He Slams Trump & Paramount/Skydance Merger

Headlines for July 23, 2025; Palestinian American Student & Dad: 200 Relatives Killed in Gaza; VCU Withholds Diploma for Protest; Israel Waging “Fastest Starvation Campaign” in Modern History in Gaza: U.N. Special Rapporteur on Food; “Big Fat Bribe”: Stephen Colbert’s Show Canceled After He Slams Trump & Paramount/Skydance Merger

On Today's Show: Palestinian American Student & Dad: 200 Relatives Killed in Gaza; VCU Withholds Diploma for Protest Israel Waging “Fastest Starvation Campaign” in Modern History in Gaza: U.N. Special Rapporteur on Food “Big Fat Bribe”: Stephen Colbert's Show Canceled After He Slams Trump & Paramount/Skydance Merger Democracy Now! is a daily independent award-winning news program hosted by journalists Amy Goodman and Juan Gonzalez. The post Democracy Now 6am – July 23, 2025 appeared first on KPFA.

Greater political will is needed to change patriarchal norms in the face of the backlash against gender equality, an independent expert appointed by the UN Human Rights Council has said.Surya Deva, Special Rapporteur on the right to development, participated in a major meeting at the UN in New York to review progress towards achieving the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), many of which are off track as the 2030 deadline approaches.Gender equality, SDG 5, was among a handful of Goals in the spotlight at the High-Level Political Forum (HLPF), which concludes on Wednesday.UN News' Mehboob Khan spoke to Mr. Deva, who began by explaining why the SDGs are at risk. 

Part 2 of Democracy Now!'s conversation with Francesca Albanese, the U.N. special rapporteur on the occupied Palestinian territory. She was recently sanctioned by the Trump administration, shortly after publishing a report on corporations supporting what she calls Israel's “economy of genocide.”

Part 2 of Democracy Now!'s conversation with Francesca Albanese, the U.N. Special Rapporteur on the Occupied Palestinian Territory. She was recently sanctioned by the Trump administration, shortly after publishing a report on corporations supporting what she calls Israel's “economy of genocide.”

Caoilfhionn Gallagher KC, human rights barrister and Special Rapporteur on Child Protection, gives her thoughts on the government's decision to establish a Commission of Inquiry into abuse at all schools in the country.

YCBN142 - Economy of Genocide From economy of occupation to economy of genocide Report of the Special Rapporteur on the situation
of human rights in the Palestinian territories occupied since 1967, Francesca Albanese https://www.ohchr.org/sites/default/files/documents/hrbodies/hrcouncil/sessions-regular/session59/advance-version/a-hrc-59-23-aev.pdf YouCantBeNeutral.com MovingTrainMedia.com movingtrainradio.com

A protest special as we look at recent events in Budapest and Belgrade - two cities experiencing mass-scale demonstrations in defiance of strongman leaders. And, as the UK parliament votes to proscribe Palestine Action, the UN's Special Rapporteur on Counter-Terrorism and Human Rights outlines his concerns.

Send us a textThis prescient conversation with Richard Falk, international law expert and former U.N. Special Rapporteur on human rights in Occupied Palestine, anticipates the catastrophe that has been unfolding in Gaza for the past 18 months. In an interview recorded January of 2023, Falk discusses the significance of Israel's 2018 nation-state law and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's assertion that Israel possesses exclusive right to all of the Land of Israel. Brazenly defying international law, the assertion repudiates the two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian struggle that has been promoted by the international community for decades. Professor Falk says Netanyahu's claim on behalf of Israel to all of historic Palestine, including the West Bank, represents the final chapter in the Zionist enterprise. Like successful settler-colonial projects in the United States, Australia, Canada and New Zealand, it will entail the elimination or complete marginalization of the indigenous population. Falk paints a somber scenario of what it is likely to mean for the Palestinians unless civil society mobilizes to defend them. 

In this episode, we get to hear from Reem Alsalem, Special Rapporteur on Violence Against Women and Girls for the United Nations. We were honored to have her join us to speak at the 2024 CESE Global Summit, and this session is titled “Beyond Consent: Prostitution, Pornography, and Human Rights” in which she looks at prostitution as sexual exploitation and a violation of the human right to dignity. She also looks specifically at pornography and other forms of technology facilitated forms of prostitution as she busts 7 myths about prostitution. Reem Alsalem is an independent consultant on gender issues, the rights of refugees and migrants, transitional justice and humanitarian response. She has consulted extensively for United Nations departments, agencies and programmes such as UN-Women, OHCHR, UNICEF and IOM, as well as for non-governmental organizations, think tanks and academia. Previously, she worked as an international civil servant, serving with the UNHCR in thirteen countries. During her service, she has planned, implemented, and monitored programs that served to protect persons that were survivors of gender-based violence, particularly women and girls.  Read our blog article about Reem's report to the U.N. and get a full copy here: https://endsexualexploitation.org/articles/united-nations-must-adopt-report-that-tells-truth-about-prostitution/  Learn more about the issue of Prostitution and how it is a major form of sexual exploitation: https://endsexualexploitation.org/issues/prostitution/ 

Caoilfhionn Gallagher, Special Rapporteur on Child Protection discusses recommendations arising from the inquest into the death of Daniel McAnaspie.

Caoilfhionn Gallagher, Special Rapporteur on Child Protection and Derval McDonagh, chief executive of Inclusion Ireland, discuss the concerns raised by 'Grace' solicitor.

A recent study, commissioned by the Policing Authority entitled Still Not Heard, Still Not Safe, reveals that people of African descent, and Brazilians, in Ireland continue to experience racial profiling and discriminatory policing and have a deep lack of trust in An Garda Siochana.The findings are of no surprise to Dr. Ebun Joseph, Special Rapporteur on Racism and Racial Equality. She joins Seán to discuss.

Caoilfhionn Gallagher, Special Rapporteur on Child Protection reaction to the publication of the Grace Report

In a powerful callout, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez slammed Congress and the White House over insider trading. Elected officials shouldn't hold stocks—period. While Martha Stewart went to prison for it, members of Congress routinely outperform the market, raising red flags of insider trading. Donald Trump, for example, told people to buy stocks just before pausing tariffs, triggering a historic $304 billion windfall for billionaires, according to Bloomberg. How many people did Trump tell in private before hitting send on that social media post? Because that would be insider trading.  Corruption flows freely in America—like cheap wine at Mar-a-Lago. Now, MAGA Republicans are pushing the SAVE Act, requiring proof of citizenship to vote in federal elections. It's voter suppression dressed up as security. Noncitizen voting is extremely rare, but this bill could disenfranchise millions—including women who changed their names for marriage and trans Americans. It's essentially a poll tax, nationalizing Jim Crow. Democrats could stop it in the Senate—unless a handful cave. Four House Democrats already backed it. If passed, this could become the next Citizens United, further empowering oligarchs like Elon Musk and paving Trump's path to authoritarian rule. What can you do? Show up. Protest. Call your senators, especially those who caved on the budget battle. Demand accountability. And yes, let's talk about AOC primarying Chuck Schumer or Kirsten Gillibrand—New York, an the nation, deserves better. For more on how to fight back, check the Gaslit Nation Action Guide at GaslitNationPod.com. Join us Monday, April 14, for a salon on defeating oligarchy, with special guests–Patrick Guarasci and Sam Roecker, senior advisors to Judge Susan Crawford's victorious Wisconsin Supreme Court campaign. Together, we're sand in their gears. In this week's bonus show, Gaslit Nation's special guest Adrian Karatnycky takes the Gaslit Nation Self-Care Q&A. Adrian has been on the frontlines fighting for democracy both at home and abroad. In his critically acclaimed book Battleground Ukraine, he traces Ukraine's struggle for independence from the fall of the Soviet Union to Russia's genocidal invasion today, drawing important lessons for protecting democracies worldwide. He has worked alongside civil rights legend Bayard Rustin and the AFL-CIO, the largest federation of unions in America. He also supported Poland's Solidarity movement, which helped bring down the Iron Curtain, and played a key role, along with iconic Soviet dissident, writer, and Czech statesman Václav Havel, in preserving Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty in the 1990s, when many thought the Cold War had ended.  Want to enjoy Gaslit Nation ad-free? Join our community of listeners for bonus shows, ad-free episodes, exclusive Q&A sessions, our group chat, invites to live events like our Monday political salons at 4pm ET over Zoom, and more! Sign up at Patreon.com/Gaslit! EVENTS AT GASLIT NATION: April 14 4pm ET – Live-taping with Patrick Guarasci, chief political strategist for Judge Susan Crawford, discussing their campaign's victory against Elon Musk in the pivotal Wisconsin Supreme Court race! April 28 4pm ET – Book club discussion of Octavia Butler's The Parable of the Sower   Indiana-based listeners launched a Signal group for others in the state to join, available on Patreon. Florida-based listeners are going strong meeting in person. Be sure to join their Signal group, available on Patreon. Have you taken Gaslit Nation's HyperNormalization Survey Yet? Gaslit Nation Salons take place Mondays 4pm ET over Zoom and the first ~40 minutes are recorded and shared on Patreon.com/Gaslit for our community  Show Notes:  Here Are the Senate Democrats Who Helped Republicans Avert a Shutdown https://time.com/7268499/senate-democrats-budget-vote/ Will They Help MAGA Pass the SAVE Act? Here's How to Contact Them: https://www.congressionalinstitute.org/contact-congress/ Four Democrats Pass Bill Making It Harder for Married Women to Vote The House of Representatives—with the help of four Democrats—just passed a bill that could disenfranchise millions. https://newrepublic.com/post/193868/democrats-save-act-bill-harder-married-women-vote The SAVE Act threatens to block millions of Americans from voting while also imposing significant burdens on state and local election officials. https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/analysis-opinion/dangers-congresss-latest-election-bill 3.5 Million Votes Canceled in 2024 Election: https://gaslitnation.libsyn.com/will-we-have-free-and-fair-elections-in-the-midterms U.N. expert decries near 'tyranny' in U.S. against minority voting rights https://www.reuters.com/world/us/un-expert-decries-gerrymandering-parts-us-that-denies-minority-voting-rights-2021-11-22/ Report of the Special Rapporteur on minority issues, Fernand de Varennes, on his visit to the United States of America https://www.splcenter.org/wp-content/uploads/files/report-un-special-rapporteur-minority-issues-march-2022.pdf Attack on Civil Rights: SPLC contributes to UN special report on state of minorities in the US https://www.splcenter.org/resources/stories/attack-civil-rights-splc-contributes-un-special-report-state-minorities-us/ Members of Congress again outperformed the stock market, report shows https://finance.yahoo.com/news/members-congress-again-outperformed-stock-162050482.html Andrew Ross Sorkin Suggests Government Officials May Have Sold Stocks Ahead of Trump Tariffs: ‘Would Not Shock Me' https://www.mediaite.com/tv/andrew-ross-sorkin-suggests-government-officials-may-have-sold-stocks-ahead-of-trump-tariffs-would-not-shock-me/ Ocasio-Cortez: Colleagues ‘should probably disclose' recent stock purchases now https://thehill.com/homenews/house/5242235-alexandria-ocasio-cortez-congress-stock-donald-trump-tariffs/ The Power of the Powerless by Vaclav Havel October, 1978 https://www.nonviolent-conflict.org/wp-content/uploads/1979/01/the-power-of-the-powerless.pdf

 Martin Mc Guinness. A Reflection.Friday the 21 March was the eighth anniversary of the death of our friend and leader Martin McGuinness. Like many others, I am sure, I was perplexed as it dawned on me that eight years had passed since we lost him. In my head I thought it was five or six years ago. But as we people of a certain age should now know time waits for no one. I remember as if it was yesterday dashing to the hospital. Even though we were anticipating his death there was nonetheless a numbness, a shock to be told that Martin was gone. A Courageous Advocate for PalestinianMs. Francesca Albanese is the Special Rapporteur for the United Nations in the Palestinian territories. She is a remarkable champion for human rights and international law whose moral integrity and deep rooted humanity are an inspiration. Her leadership on Palestinian rights, her unremitting and courageous criticism of Israel's decades long illegal occupation of the Palestinian territories, is an example for all of us who seek a just peace between the peoples of Palestine and of Israel.Last week Ms. Albanese was in the South of Ireland addressing Universities, giving interviews, attending the massive pro-Palestinian march in Dublin on Saturday and meeting a wide range of individuals and groups.  The only answer is UnityThere are at least 50,000 people in Belfast reliant on PIP (Personal Independence Payment). Given that levels of disadvantage and poor health indicators are higher in west Belfast it is safe to assume that many thousands of families in that part of the city are especially vulnerable to British government cuts to the PIP system.Over the years Labour governments have shown scant regard for their socialist roots. Often they are just a pale imitation of the Tories who care even less. They especially show no empathy when it comes to the North. Year after year the British block grant fails to meet our basic public service requirements whether in the provision of health, education, housing, agriculture or the environment. The Executive scrambles to stretch a finite budget. 

What role does the UN play in the Occupied Palestinian territories? What is the responsibility of Western media when it comes to covering issues surrounding Israel and Palestine? How did Francesca Albanese's Southern Italian heritage inform her passion for fighting injustice?  Rory and Alastair are joined by Francesca Albanese, the Special Rapporteur on the human rights situation in the Palestinian territories occupied since 1967, to discuss all this and more.  TRIP Plus: Become a member of The Rest Is Politics Plus to support the podcast, receive our exclusive newsletter, enjoy ad-free listening to both TRIP and Leading, benefit from discount book prices on titles mentioned on the pod, join our Discord chatroom, and receive early access to live show tickets and Question Time episodes. Just head to therestispolitics.com to sign up, or start a free trial today on Apple Podcasts: apple.co/therestispolitics. Instagram: @restispolitics  Twitter: @RestIsPolitics  Email: restispolitics@gmail.com Video Editor: Josh Smith  Assistant Producer: Alice Horrell Social Producer: Jess Kidson Producer: Nicole Maslen Senior Producer: Dom Johnson Head of Content: Tom Whiter Exec Producers: Tony Pastor + Jack Davenport Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

SUPPORT ESTHER'S BIRTHDAY FUNDRAISER FOR ON THE GROUND UNTIL MARCH 22, 2025: https://www.facebook.com/donate/1153324579630758/?fundraiser_source=external_url UN human rights experts say that the genocide against Palestinians, perpetrated by Israel and supported by the US and NATO countries, is also destroying international and human rights laws enacted after the carnage of World War II.As Israel continues to kill, displace and starve people in Gaza, in the West Bank, and in prisons documented as torture and death camps, we spend this hour hearing these UN human rights experts, including including Francesca Albanese, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian Territories. She and the other experts held a press conference March 12, 2025 at the United Nations offices in Geneva. Also with Ben Saul, Margaret Satterthwaite, and Michael Fakhri. The show is made possible only by our volunteer energy, our resolve to keep the people's voices on the air, and by support from our listeners. In this new era of fake corporate news, we have to be and support our own media! Please click here or click on the Support-Donate tab on this website to subscribe for as little as $3 a month. We are so grateful for this small but growing amount of monthly crowdsource funding on Patreon. PATREON NOW HAS A ONE-TIME, ANNUAL DONATION FUNCTION! You can also give a one-time or recurring donation on PayPal. Thank you! “On the Ground: Voices of Resistance from the Nation's Capital” gives a voice to the voiceless 99 percent at the heart of American empire. The award-winning, weekly hour, produced and hosted by Esther Iverem, covers social justice activism about local, national and international issues, with a special emphasis on militarization and war, the police state, the corporate state, environmental justice and the left edge of culture and media. The show is heard on three dozen stations across the United States, on podcast, and is archived on the world wide web at https://onthegroundshow.org/  Please support us on Patreon or Paypal. Links for all ways to support are on our website or at Esther Iverem's Linktree: https://linktr.ee/esther_iverem PHOTO: Compilation of some of the more than 17,000 children killed in Gaza, from IG @mo_hamz

Who Defends the Defenders? In many countries, the state response to peaceful environmental protest is increasingly to repress rather than to enable and protect those who wish to speak up for the environment.Michel Forst is a prominent human rights advocate and the UN Special Rapporteur on Environmental Defenders under the Aarhus Convention. He previously served as the Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders (2014–2020) and has worked with Amnesty International, UNESCO, and the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions, championing protections for activists worldwide. Forst's career is marked by his unwavering commitment to defending those at risk for advancing justice, environmental protection, and human rights globally.“My mandate focuses on the protection of those trying to protect the planet. Protection of defenders is my main topic. When I'm speaking to states or companies, it's always related to cases of defenders facing threats, attacks, or penalization by companies or governments, like the recent case of Paul Watson (founder of Sea Shepherd) in Denmark… When I travel to places like Peru, Colombia, or Honduras and meet Indigenous people, I realize they have a relationship with nature that we don't have anymore. They express that the food they eat, the water they drink, and the air they breathe goes beyond just air and food; it represents what they call Pachamama or Mother Earth. This is a cosmovision shared across various communities, not only in Latin America but globally.”Episode Websitewww.creativeprocess.info/podInstagram:@creativeprocesspodcast

“My mandate focuses on the protection of those trying to protect the planet. Protection of defenders is my main topic. When I'm speaking to states or companies, it's always related to cases of defenders facing threats, attacks, or penalization by companies or governments, like the recent case of Paul Watson (founder of Sea Shepherd) in Denmark… When I travel to places like Peru, Colombia, or Honduras and meet Indigenous people, I realize they have a relationship with nature that we don't have anymore. They express that the food they eat, the water they drink, and the air they breathe goes beyond just air and food; it represents what they call Pachamama or Mother Earth. This is a cosmovision shared across various communities, not only in Latin America but globally.”Michel Forst is a prominent human rights advocate and the UN Special Rapporteur on Environmental Defenders under the Aarhus Convention. He previously served as the Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders (2014–2020) and has worked with Amnesty International, UNESCO, and the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions, championing protections for activists worldwide. Forst's career is marked by his unwavering commitment to defending those at risk for advancing justice, environmental protection, and human rights globally.Episode Websitewww.creativeprocess.info/podInstagram:@creativeprocesspodcast

Who Defends the Defenders? In many countries, the state response to peaceful environmental protest is increasingly to repress rather than to enable and protect those who wish to speak up for the environment.Michel Forst is a prominent human rights advocate and the UN Special Rapporteur on Environmental Defenders under the Aarhus Convention. He previously served as the Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders (2014–2020) and has worked with Amnesty International, UNESCO, and the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions, championing protections for activists worldwide. Forst's career is marked by his unwavering commitment to defending those at risk for advancing justice, environmental protection, and human rights globally.“My mandate focuses on the protection of those trying to protect the planet. Protection of defenders is my main topic. When I'm speaking to states or companies, it's always related to cases of defenders facing threats, attacks, or penalization by companies or governments, like the recent case of Paul Watson (founder of Sea Shepherd) in Denmark… When I travel to places like Peru, Colombia, or Honduras and meet Indigenous people, I realize they have a relationship with nature that we don't have anymore. They express that the food they eat, the water they drink, and the air they breathe goes beyond just air and food; it represents what they call Pachamama or Mother Earth. This is a cosmovision shared across various communities, not only in Latin America but globally.”Episode Websitewww.creativeprocess.info/podInstagram:@creativeprocesspodcast

“My mandate focuses on the protection of those trying to protect the planet. Protection of defenders is my main topic. When I'm speaking to states or companies, it's always related to cases of defenders facing threats, attacks, or penalization by companies or governments, like the recent case of Paul Watson (founder of Sea Shepherd) in Denmark… When I travel to places like Peru, Colombia, or Honduras and meet Indigenous people, I realize they have a relationship with nature that we don't have anymore. They express that the food they eat, the water they drink, and the air they breathe goes beyond just air and food; it represents what they call Pachamama or Mother Earth. This is a cosmovision shared across various communities, not only in Latin America but globally.”Michel Forst is a prominent human rights advocate and the UN Special Rapporteur on Environmental Defenders under the Aarhus Convention. He previously served as the Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders (2014–2020) and has worked with Amnesty International, UNESCO, and the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions, championing protections for activists worldwide. Forst's career is marked by his unwavering commitment to defending those at risk for advancing justice, environmental protection, and human rights globally.Episode Websitewww.creativeprocess.info/podInstagram:@creativeprocesspodcast