Podcasts about un high commissioner

The 3-part series “Can the record be trusted?” explores the prospects and challenges of human rights documentation and archives in the digital age, with speakers from an international expert workshop that took place at Queen's University Belfast in November 2024. In this episode, Dagmar Hovestädt speaks with Dr. Trudy Huskamp Peterson, international consultant on archives and human rights. With decades of experience—from the U.S. National Archives to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees—Trudy has worked with archives of truth commissions, international tribunals, and other conflict archives worldwide, including in Guatemala, South Africa, Honduras, Rwanda, Cambodia and Sierra Leone. The conversation revolves around Trudy's groundbreaking work on preserving truth commission records and explores the unresolved challenge of international tribunal archives. With multiple tribunals closing, questions about who will make access decisions and ensure long-term preservation remain desperately unresolved. From her perspective, the current next generation of vast amounts of digital data in human rights violations - from electronic records to DNA samples in conflict contexts – is to be looked at through an archival lens: "Preservation is not a problem to be solved. It is a process to be managed." About: Dr. Trudy Huskamp Peterson is an international consultant specializing in archives and human rights. She began her work at the U.S. National Archives and after 20 years embarked on an international journey in support of human rights and records. She has consulted for truth commissions, international tribunals, and the UN on archival issues worldwide. She is a longtime member of the International Council on Archives and a co-founder of its Section on Archives and Human Rights More: Trudy Huskamp Peterson and International Council on Archives

Donald Trump may have declared the war on Gaza over, but a welcome-but-shaky ceasefire and lasting peace are not the same thing. On this episode of After America, Judge Navi Pillay, former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and 2025 Sydney Peace Prize Laureate, joins Dr Emma Shortis to discuss accountability in international law and the prerequisites for genuine peace. This discussion was recorded on Monday 13 October 2025. Details of Judge Navi Pillay’s Australian events are available on the Sydney Peace Foundation website. Dead Centre: How political pragmatism is killing us by Richard Denniss is available now via Australia Institute Press. Guest: Navi Pillay, Chair of the United Nations Human Rights Council Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory Host: Emma Shortis, Director, International & Security Affairs, the Australia Institute // @emmashortis Show notes: Israel has committed genocide in the Gaza Strip, UN Commission finds, Office of the High Commissioner, United Nations Human Rights (September 2025) Summary of ICJ’s Order of 24 May 2024, United Nations (May 2024) 2025 Peace Prize Citation: Navi Pillay, Sydney Peace Foundation (2025) Beyond the Two-State Solution: Policy responses to the Destruction of Palestine and the Insecurity of Israel, the Australia Institute (February 2025) Theme music: Blue Dot Sessions We’d love to hear your feedback on this series, so send in your questions, comments or suggestions for future episodes to podcasts@australiainstitute.org.au.Support After America: https://nb.australiainstitute.org.au/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

From Sudan to the war in Gaza, 2025 has seen the continuation of major humanitarian crises across the globe. Volker Türk, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, examines a range of these crises, while also exploring issues such as financing, reform, and declining multilateral consensus.    This conversation was hosted by the Council on Foreign Relations during the 80th United Nations General Assembly.    Background Reading:  This expert brief outlines the Trump administration's move away from UN human rights standards.  This post discusses the most recent U.S. report on Human Rights Practices.    Host: Linda Thomas-Greenfield, Former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations   Guest: Volker Türk, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights   Want more comprehensive analysis of global news and events straight to your inbox? Subscribe to CFR's Daily News Brief newsletter.   To keep tabs on all CFR events, visit cfr.org/event. To watch this event, please visit our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/live/Hami3lD8MeY?si=8Uzbhk09q45hB8jC 

Today I am extremely grateful to Ardi Imseis and Chris Gunness for joining me for an urgent discussion of Israel's accelerated genocide and ethnic cleansing in Gaza and the West Bank.  These eminent international human rights scholars discuss Israel's longstanding violations of international law and the complicity of the US. We also discuss at length the responsibility of states to immediately halt their direct and indirect support for the genocide. Our conversation includes an in-depth discussion of the UN, and both the usefulness and shortcomings of international law. We end with a call to international civil society to use the information, rules, and judgments of law to do what too many states fail to do—protect the rights and lives of Palestinians and bring forth justice.Dr. Ardi Imseis is Associate Professor of Law, Faculty of Law, Queen's University. He is author of The United Nations and the Question of Palestine: Rule by Law and the Structure of International Legal Subalternity (Cambridge University Press 2023). In 2019 he was named by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights to serve as a Member of the UN commission of inquiry into the civil war in Yemen. He has served as legal counsel before the International Court of Justice, including the Court's groundbreaking 2024 opinion on Legal Consequences arising from the policies and practices of Israel in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem. Between 2002 and 2014, he served in senior legal and policy capacities in the Middle East with the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). He has provided expert testimony in his personal capacity before various high-level bodies, including the UN Security Council, the UN Human Rights Council, and the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. Professor Imseis's scholarship has appeared in a wide array of international journals, and he is former Editor-in-Chief of the Palestine Yearbook of International Law (Brill; 2008-2019) and Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar and Human Rights Fellow, Columbia Law School. Professor Imseis holds a Ph.D. (Cambridge), an LL.M. (Columbia), LL.B. (Dalhousie), and B.A. (Hons.) (Toronto). He appears today in his personal capacity.Chris Gunness covered the 1988 democracy uprising for the BBC in what was then Burma. After a 23-year career at the BBC, he joined the United Nations as Director of Strategic Communications and Advocacy in the Middle East. In 2019 he left the UN and returned to London. He founded the Myanmar Accountability Project (MAP) in 2021.

Cormac spoke to Volker Türk, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, who's in Dublin today for meetings with the Tanaiste and the President.

In his keynote address to the Institute, Volker Türk, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, addresses the disregard for human rights and international humanitarian law across the globe. Amid escalating conflict, deepening inequalities, and growing divisions, High Commissioner Türk speaks about how we need more human rights – not less. Human rights provide a compass to steer us through some of the greatest challenges of our time. We need an unwavering commitment to multilateralism and international law to work towards an equal and just future for all. Speaker bio: Volker Türk was appointed as the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights in 2022. Prior to this, Mr. Türk was the Under-Secretary-General for Policy in the Executive Office of the United Nations Secretary-General. Over the course of his career, he held a number of key positions including as Assistant High Commissioner for Protection in the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Geneva (2015-2019), during which time he played a key role in the development of the landmark Global Compact on Refugees. Mr. Türk holds a doctorate in international law from the University of Vienna and a Master of Laws degree from the University of Linz, Austria.

Show Notes: Gregory Mose, an English major, currently lives in Aix-en-Provence where he is the director of international relations and professor of International Law at a small American University program called the American College of the Mediterranean.  When he graduated, his parents wanted him to go to Law School, but Greg wanted to travel. He was offered a teaching fellow position at Athens College in Greece, and he fell in love with the place and the experience. He returned to the US and law school at Duke where he met his wife.   Working for United Nations Greg's interest in international public international law led him to work for the UN during Yugoslavia's war crimes tribunal research project. He secured a two-year contract with the UN High Commissioner for Refugees in Conakry, Guinea, which was a paranoid, isolated place. He worked with refugees there for two years, traveling through Mali, Timbuktu, Dakar, Freetown, Abidjan, and upcountry Guinea. During this time, he helped resettle some people to the United States. Greg's experience in Conakry was both powerful and passionate. He helped resettle some people to the United States who wouldn't be able to be resettled today. However, he returned home underweight and suffering from malaria and PTSD. A Career Changes: Director of International Relations - Stay-at-home Dad Greg joined his fiance in London. After a period of recovery, Greg secured a job in corporate law at an international firm in London. He worked on IPOs and was hired as a young US lawyer in securities practices. After three years, he moved to a London-based firm, Freshfields, Brookhouse, Deringer.  Greg and his wife had their son in 2002 and decided to raise their son themselves rather than handing him over to a nanny. He decided to leave his job to write a novel and raise their son while his wife worked at the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development. They considered downsizing and moving to the English countryside or getting more remote to facilitate a change in lifestyle. However, after spending time in the South West of France, they decided to do something radical and bought a medieval farmhouse and land in the South West of France, near a village called Montcabrier.  Village Life in Wine Country Greg describes their experience living in a wine region called the Lot, near the Dordogne, in the southwest. The village had about 30 full-time residents, but most people  lived in farmhouses outside the village. The village had a two-room schoolhouse, a bakery, and a mayor's office. Greg and his family rented out renovated three holiday cottages in summers to families with small children. They built a playground, swimming pool, and a beautiful field on their property. Greg also shares his experiences with their neighbors. He also learned how to use a chainsaw and finished his novel, Stunt Road. However, as their son grew older, they decided they needed a bigger centre with more activities and schools. They moved to Aix-en-Provence. Working in Education Greg didn't know what he was going to do there, but they enrolled their son in the International School where he was hired to teach a critical thinking course called Theory of Knowledge at the International Baccalaureate program. He became a high school teacher for 10 years and realized his love for teaching, and eventually wanted to teach at university. He decided to pursue a PhD program at French universities, which were affordable. The tuition for a PhD was about $500 a year.  Greg mentions the benefits of social programs in France. He eventually became a full-time professor at the American College in Aix and runs a master's program in international relations. Integration with French Culture Greg's life is different from what people think it is like living in Southern France. He finds it challenging to integrate into the country. In the rural areas, French culture is radically different, with people being warm but also private. Weekends are spent with family, and they do not easily invite people into their homes. However, he finds warmth in the greetings and the respect shown to others. This reinforces a tradition of treating each other as equals and respect. He also talks about how his students from abroad adjust to French culture.  Back to London and Recovery Greg thinks back to 1998 when he  arrived in North London with his fiance and was unemployed. He had been working at UNHCR, which provided decent pay. However, he was always physically cold and underweight due to his previous experiences with malaria and the constant heat in the tropical climate. He was exhausted from the work and the influx of refugees during the renewed violence in Freetown. One of his bouts of malaria occurred while doing a refugee census in the forest region. He spent three days in a room full of bugs and had limited access to food. He talks about how he broke down and found it was cathartic for him. He talks about a particularly difficult time, and how he teaches a course on armed conflict, linking it to genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and refugees. Large glass He often shares anecdotes from his time there, but admits that sometimes he struggles to get through them. Influential Harvard Professors and Courses Greg mentions his first year English course with Helen Vendler. He recalls a kind act of kindness from her. He also mentions professor Burriss Young, who was the Associate Dean of freshmen at the time and lived in Mass Hall. Burriss was an archeologist, and he invited students to tea in his apartment filled with archeological artifacts. This made his first year at Harvard a magical experience. Greg, coming from LA, idealized Harvard. He had a wonderful time in Cabot House, and Greg believes that these experiences will be a lasting memory for him.  Timestamps: 04:44: Early Career and UN Experience 09:31: Transition to Corporate Law and Family Life  22:55: Return to Education and Teaching Career  30:10: Life in Southern France and Cultural Adjustments  40:37: Personal Reflections and Professional Growth  45:02: Memorable Experiences and Influences from Harvard    Links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregorymose/ Stunt Road, by Gregory Mose: https://amzn.to/46Orq4X The American College of the Mediterranean: https://www.acmfrance.org/ Greg's Blog: https://quercychronicles.wordpress.com/ Featured Non-profit: The featured non-profit of this week's episode is recommended by Keith Quinn who reports: “Hi. This is Keith Quinn, class of 1992 the featured non-profit of this episode of The 92 Report is water.org. Water.org. Is a global NGO working to bring water and sanitation to the world. The water crisis is a global crisis where 2.2 billion people lack access to safe water, and 3.5 billion people lack access to a safe toilet. I've served on the board of water.org for over 15 years, doing rewarding work, along with two other class of 1992 alums, my fellow board member, Larry Tans, and water.org co-founder, Matt Damon, and I'm proud to say that to date, water.org has changed 76 million lives with water and sanitation. You can learn more about their work@water.org and now here's Will Bachman with this week's episode.”   To learn more about their work, visit: water.org.   

 Conversation between activist Palestinian activist Ahmed Alabadla, Journalist Wendy Bacon and Yaakov Aharon with the topic The Influence of the Israel Lobby on Australian Politics and Media (Find Ahmed's discussions on the Palestine Justice Movement YouTube channel, and his radio program Pulse of Palestine on Radio Skid Row),  Announcement of the awarding of the 2025 Sydney Peace Prize to UN High Commissioner Judge Navi Pillai with Emeritus Professor Stuart Rees, Nic Maclellan, journalist with Islands Business with an overview of previous UN Conferences on the Sea and the 2025 conference which has now concluded in France, Social commentator John Queripel with a history of China leading to the present day and Australia's role as a proxy for war with China,Human Rights Activist Peter Murphy and the dropping of charges against two environmental activists in the Philippines who were abducted by the state in 2023. Head to www.3cr.org.au/hometime-tuesday for full access to links and previous podcasts

Volker Türk, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, calling for a new approach to politics in response to the climate emergency.

On the forty- third episode of ATFT, actress/ producer Michelle Calloway and movie critic Matthieu Côté join me in celebrating Angelina Jolie for her 50th birthday!Angelina Jolie is one of the most globally beloved movie stars of our time with people admiring her through her iconic public image evolution from being the “wild child” to a humanitarian and mother. She hit the ground running in the late 90s by earning three Golden Globes and an Academy Award for her performance as Lisa Rowe in Girl, Interrupted. She established herself as an action star by playing the titular character in Lara Croft: Tomb Raider. While many know her from her action films, she quietly has built up a versatile filmography with many of her best films being hidden gems. Her brilliant and emotionally- charged dramatic talents are overshadowed by the celebrity attention she has received and being one of the most beautiful women on the planet. If her success in film isn't enough reason to celebrate her, she's a humanitarian who served for ten years as a Special Envoy for the UN High Commissioner for Refugees. She has also been an advocate for women as her health- focused op- eds inspired women, leading for the sort- of movement as “The Angelina Effect”. She has been an inspiration to me for several years but her global impact has remained strong for over two decades.This is Michelle's second time on the podcast while this is Matthieu's third time! This episode came together rapidly and the version everyone will hear is probably Plan E. Plans were set for months to have on a returning guest to discuss Angelina but she, unfortunately, became a no- show. It would have been easier to have cancelled this episode but I didn't want to because Angelina has had such an impact on me since I was about 18 years old and this was a great opportunity to honor her. I am incredibly grateful to Matthieu and Michelle for saving this episode! Michelle is planning a second Filmmaker Forum for August this year! The date has yet to be set but the first one, which took place in March, was a major success and incredibly informative so if you're in the Jacksonville area, stay tuned for more information by following @michellecalloway on Instagram! Also nominate Michelle for the Rising Star Award for the City of Jacksonville Film and Television Office Annual Awards by clicking this link!: https://www.filmjax.com/bizforms/rising-star-nomination-form?fbclid=IwY2xjawKsOhVleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBicmlkETF6YjRWVE1zdG4xT1l5S3pBAR4h4Kgd7IKZdXI7IHsYGCJC7OBfEKrH32qFvuiXbRWeWsoGLIh532Nnilme3A_aem_u_yaKfTGoCq4ScfjrfDpmA ! Matthieu has several exciting interviews that will soon be available on his YouTube channel including one with the director and star of the new horror film The Ritual. He's also working on a passion project, a hockey- focused documentary, which should be out later this year! Subscribe to his YouTube channel by clicking this link!: https://www.youtube.com/@matthieucote2272 As I mentioned, this episode came together quickly so it's definitely an eccentric casual format episode. Angelina's films from Hackers to Maria are discussed with only a few omissions, like Beyond Borders. We share our first memories of Angelina and our five favorite Angelina films. For one section of the episode, I talked about three Angelina films I especially wanted to highlight. Matthieu and I discuss his favorite Angelina film, By the Sea, at length while Michelle shares which filmmaker she hopes Angelina will work with someday. All this and more on the new episode of All the Film Things!Background music created and used with permission by the Copyright Free Music - Background Music for Videos channel on YouTube.Photo of Angelina used in the cover art was retrieved from Flickr (link to the photo: https://www.flickr.com/photos/worldeconomicforum/346665570 and link to the license rules: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/ ). The only change made to the image was that it was cropped. 

Watch This Episode On YouTubeWith the baritones of Bono and U2 as the soundtrack, the globe-trotting world of Mary Robinson requires an epic film to depict her life, and thankfully, they found the director that can deliver just that in Irish filmmaker Aoife Kelleher.Aoife gave us the brilliant film MRS ROBINSON (2024), still on its festival run. MRS ROBINSON tells the inspirational life story of change-maker Mary Robinson: Ireland's first female President, a pioneering UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, and the successor of Nelson Mandela as Chair of The Elders.And if all that wasn't enough, check out her film, TESTIMONY (2025), also on the festival circuit. Not sure when Aoife has time to sleep but she found time to talk with me for the podcast, and I'm delighted to share that conversation with you.In this episode, Aoife and I discuss:her biographical statement that she seeks in her work to "tell hidden truths about Ireland and Irishness" -- what does that mean? what is an Irish film?;how did she get involved in filmmaking? "my parents were primary school principals and my dad was a politician so it was like, there were a lot of debates around these kind of themes at the dinner table";her switch from law to filmmaking -- "I'd had this work experience in a legal firm that had put me off the idea of pursuing law";what did she learn from her first documentary ONE MILLION DUBLINERS (2014) that she takes away for her current film?how did she get the opportunity to make MRS ROBINSON (2024), even with pitching against many other companies -- "you really can't stress [enough] how large Mary Robinson looms in Irish society";how she made it clear they weren't creating a puff piece documentary -- "from the earliest points in the pitching process, we made it clear that we would not be doing that, and that was what she wanted, too";how she was able to license U2 and other prominent musicians as part of this film (they were going to play "Fortunate Son" by CCR in a Vietnam scene...I think it worked out better with Bono!);the climate activism portion of the film and how it resonates now versus 30 years ago;how has documentary changed in the last ten years?;what's next for her? TESTIMONY (2025) is also on the festival circuit, which means she has TWO feature films on the circuit right nowAoife's Indie Film Highlight: BLUE ROAD: THE EDNA O'BRIEN STORY (2024) dir. by Sinead O'Shea; A WANT IN HER (2024) dir. by Myrid CartenLinks:MRS ROBINSON (2024) WebsiteFollow Screen Ireland on Instagram For More Info On Irish FilmmakersWatch This Episode On YouTubeSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/first-time-go/exclusive-content

In honor of International Day for Biological Diversity, this episode features a powerful conversation between Vital Voices President & CEO Alyse Nelson and Mary Robinson — Ireland's first female President, former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, and lifelong advocate for climate justice, gender equality, and ethical leadership. Mary reflects on her groundbreaking political career, her deep commitment to human rights, and how climate became her life's defining mission. She also shares insights from MRS ROBINSON, a new documentary that tells the story of her trailblazing leadership and the urgent need for women-led climate action.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. Tai-Ex opening The Tai-Ex opened up 77-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 21,603 on turnover of 2.3-billion N-T. The market closed flat on Tuesday as Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing saw its early gains eroded due to stiff resistance ahead of the critical 1,000 N-T per share mark - despite the opening of Computex in Taipei. Lai calls Beijing an 'aggressor' that threatens peace President Lai Ching-te has marked the first anniversary of his taking office by holding a press conference during which he accused Beijing of being an "aggressor" by threatening peace across the Taiwan Strait. However, despite branding China as an "aggressor," Lai also reiterated his openness to continuing exchanges and collaborations with China provided that each side treats the other equally and with respect. According to Lai, he remains willing to "engage in dialogue instead of confrontation" and work with China toward peace and prosperity. Lai also told reporters that many countries, including Taiwan, are under the threat of aggressors - but Taiwan is, on the contrary, committed to pursuing (追求) peace. CDC reporting 88% rise in COVID outpatients and emergency visits The Centers for Disease Control is reporting an 88.2-per cent weekly increase in the number of COVID outpatient and emergency visits last week. According to the C-D-C, there were 19,097 outpatient and emergency visits from between May 11 and 17. Although that figure is up from the previous week, it was still lower than same period of last year. C-D-C Deputy Director-General Philip Luo says the current COVID outbreak will peak in mid-to-late June, when weekly outpatient and emergency visits reach between 55,000 and 65,000 and it will continue through the end of July. SA president to meet Trump on Wednesday amid deteriorating relations South African President Cyril Ramaphosa is due to meet his US counterpart Donald Trump today. The crunch talks come amid ideological (思想) differences, geopolitical alliances, and domestic policy conflicts. Kate Fisher reports from Washington UN Sounds Warning on Colombia Indigenous Groups The United Nations human rights office in Colombia says that five Indigenous groups in northern Colombia's mountain range face “physical and cultural” extinction. The UN says this threat stems from armed group conflicts over their territory and insufficient (不足的) state protection. Colombia's representative for the UN High Commissioner for Human Right says the risk of physical and cultural extinction of Indigenous People of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta is “an ongoing (持續存在的) tragedy that we can and must prevent.” He urged the Colombian government to protect the Indigenous groups, whose combined population is approximately 55-thousand people. In 2022, UNESCO added the ancestral knowledge of these Indigenous groups to its Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity list. That was the I.C.R.T. EZ News, I'm _____. －－－－以下訊息由 SoundOn 動態廣告贊助商提供－－－－ 【台灣虎航 台中獨家直飛名古屋】 開航價$2,399元起，中台灣虎迷每週3班直飛名古屋，說走就走！ 立即訂購：https://sofm.pse.is/7nee2y -- －挺你所想！與你一起生活的銀行－ 中國信託銀行APP超越大升級， 眾多好用功能，力挺你的金融需求！ 趕緊註冊行動銀行，就送OPENPOINT100點。 立即點擊連結看活動詳情～ https://sofm.pse.is/7nlk82 -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

Mary Robinson, the former Irish President and UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, criticised the US for what she termed a "stupid" approach to climate change, and called on the EU to step up to “fulfil necessary commitments” in an interview with Radio Schuman.In this episode, we also look at today's Foreign Affairs council focusing on EU–US trade relations at a time when the EU finds itself at the back of the line. And finally, rail travel in Europe is experiencing a renaissance. Are Europeans getting on board?Radio Schuman is hosted and produced by Lauren Walker. Audio editing by Johan Breton. Music by Alexandre Jas. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights' former NYC Office Director Craig Mokhiber: Israel's Gaza Food Blockade Triggers Famine, Hospitalizes Thousands of Children for Acute MalnutritionThe nation's leading public interest lawyer Ralph Nader: Ralph Nader Labels Trump's 100-Day Attack on Democracy a ‘Fascist Dictatorship'Memphis Community Against Pollution Executive Director KeShaun Pearson: Memphis Resident Fighting to Shut Down Elon Musk's Polluting Super-Computer Data CenterBob Nixon's Under-reported News SummaryHalted Agent Orange cleanup outs thousands at riskTrump border nominee accused of ‘cover-up'FEMA eliminates popular disaster adaptation programVisit our website at BTLonline.org for more information, in-depth interviews, related links, transcripts and subscribe to our BTL Weekly Summary and/or podcasts. New episodes every Wednesday at 12 noon ET, website updated Wednesdays after 4 p.m. ETProduced by Squeaky Wheel Productions: Scott Harris, Melinda Tuhus, Bob Nixon, Anna Manzo, Susan Bramhall, Jeff Yates and Mary Hunt. Theme music by Richard Hill and Mikata.

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights' former NYC Office Director Craig Mokhiber: Israel's Gaza Food Blockade Triggers Famine, Hospitalizes Thousands of Children for Acute MalnutritionThe nation's leading public interest lawyer Ralph Nader: Ralph Nader Labels Trump's 100-Day Attack on Democracy a ‘Fascist Dictatorship'Memphis Community Against Pollution Executive Director KeShaun Pearson: Memphis Resident Fighting to Shut Down Elon Musk's Polluting Super-Computer Data CenterBob Nixon's Under-reported News SummaryHalted Agent Orange cleanup outs thousands at riskTrump border nominee accused of ‘cover-up'FEMA eliminates popular disaster adaptation programVisit our website at BTLonline.org for more information, in-depth interviews, related links and transcripts and to sign up for our BTL Weekly Summary. New episodes every Wednesday at 12 noon ET, website updated Wednesdays after 4 p.m. ETProduced by Squeaky Wheel Productions: Scott Harris, Melinda Tuhus, Bob Nixon, Anna Manzo, Susan Bramhall, Jeff Yates and Mary Hunt. Theme music by Richard Hill and Mikata.

Civilians continue to bear the brunt of violent clashes between rival forces in Sudan, UN human rights chief Volker Türk said on Thursday, after “credible” videos surfaced of killings in cold blood, linked to the recapture of Khartoum by the Sudanese Armed Forces.“There is likely an ethnic element” to the killings too, said Seif Magango, spokesperson for the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR).He told UN News' Daniel Johnson that sexual violence remains widespread in the war-torn country, before calling for UN Member States to intervene to stop almost two years of heavy fighting that has uprooted nine million people across Sudan and left an estimated 24.6 million facing acute hunger.Specific measures that could bring the rival forces to the negotiating table include an extended arms embargo for Sudan that encompasses the whole country and not just Darfur, and a wider mandate for the International Criminal Court (ICC) to cover all of Sudan, he said.

Israel's genocide in Gaza has triggered a global crackdown on dissent, with Western governments not only enabling the atrocities but also waging war on human rights and free speech. Join a special live episode of Dispatches with Rania Khalek as Craig Mokhiber, former director of the New York Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, unpacks the ongoing genocide, the fascist assault on pro-Palestine voices across US campuses, and the unprecedented erosion of international law.

Hamas, Israel agree to Gaza ceasefire deal "In a breakthrough, Hamas and Israel have agreed to a ceasefire and prisoner exchange after 468 days of Israel's genocidal war on Gaza. Qatar's Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al Thani announced the deal, starting with Hamas releasing 33 Israeli captives for an undisclosed number of Palestinian prisoners. Qatar, Egypt and the US will oversee the implementation. Details of second and third phases will emerge after the first phase concludes." World hails the Gaza ceasefire "The ceasefire in Gaza was hailed by world leaders, including Türkiye's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, US President Joe Biden, and President-elect Donald Trump, as a step toward peace, humanitarian aid, and the release of prisoners. The UN and EU echoed their support, emphasising the urgent need for relief in Gaza. While Hamas declared the agreement a victory for Palestinian resilience, Egypt stressed the importance of swift aid delivery. Separately, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed gratitude to American leaders for their support in the process." Gaza, West Bank face deadly Israeli air strikes after truce "Despite the ceasefire agreement, Israel continued to carry out air strikes on Palestinian territories in the region. At least 20 Palestinians, including children, were killed in besieged Gaza by Israeli bombardment. Tel Aviv also killed six Palestinians in the occupied West Bank during air strikes on the Jenin camp, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry. " UN rights chief calls for lifting sanctions on Syria "During a historic visit to Syria, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk emphasised the need for justice and accountability for the grave human rights violations committed during 14 years of conflict. He called for an end to hostilities, the protection of all Syrians, and the pursuit of transitional justice, including investigating war crimes and addressing the needs of victims. Turk also urged the international community to reconsider sanctions that have exacerbated the suffering of ordinary Syrians." Joe Biden delivers his last speech from the Oval Office "Outgoing US President Joe Biden delivered an emotional farewell address from the Oval Office, marking his final days in office. He wished President-elect Donald Trump success while cautioning against a looming ""oligarchy"" threatening democracy. Despite his controversial legacy, Biden criticised social media giants for enabling misinformation and warned of the risks of concentrated wealth and power."

Israel and Hamas have blamed each other for delays in reaching a Gaza ceasefire agreement despite reported progress in the past days. Azerbaijan is mourning for the 38 victims killed in a plane crash in Kazakhstan.The UN High Commissioner for Refugees is calling for more international support to deal with the crisis in Sudan after reporting a mass exodus of civilians fleeing the escalating violence.

pWotD Episode 2777: Bashar al-Assad Welcome to Popular Wiki of the Day, spotlighting Wikipedia's most visited pages, giving you a peek into what the world is curious about today.With 1,941,915 views on Sunday, 8 December 2024 our article of the day is Bashar al-Assad.Bashar al-Assad (born 11 September 1965) is a Syrian politician, military officer, and surgeon, who served as the 19th president of Syria from July 2000 until his overthrow in December 2024. As president, Assad was the commander-in-chief of the Syrian Armed Forces and the secretary-general of the Central Command of the Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party. He is the son of Hafez al-Assad, who was the president from 1971 until his death in 2000.In 1994, after his elder brother Bassel al-Assad died in a car accident, Assad was recalled to Syria to take over Bassel's role as heir apparent. Assad entered the military academy, taking charge of the Syrian occupation of Lebanon in 1998. On 17 July 2000, Assad became president, succeeding his father, who died on 10 June 2000. A series of crackdowns in 2001–02 ended the Damascus Spring, a period marked by calls for transparency and democracy.Academics and analysts characterized Assad's presidency as a highly personalist dictatorship, which governed Syria as a totalitarian police state, and was marked by numerous human rights violations and severe repression. While the Assad government described itself as secular, various political scientists and observers noted that his regime exploited sectarian tensions in the country. Although Assad inherited the power structures and personality cult nurtured by his father, he lacked the loyalty received by his father and faced rising discontent against his rule. As a result, many members of the Old Guard resigned or were purged and the political inner-circle were replaced by staunch loyalists from Alawite clans. Assad's early economic liberalisation programs worsened inequalities and centralized the socio-political power of the loyalist Damascene elite of the Assad family, alienating the Syrian rural population, urban working classes, businessmen, industrialists and people from once-traditional Ba'ath strongholds. The Cedar Revolution in Lebanon in February 2005, triggered by the assassination of Lebanese Prime Minister Rafic Hariri, forced Assad to end the Syrian occupation of Lebanon.In 2011, the United States, European Union, and majority of the Arab League called for Assad to resign following the crackdown on Arab Spring protesters during the events of the Syrian revolution, which led to the Syrian civil war. The civil war has killed around 580,000 people, of which a minimum of 306,000 deaths are non-combatant; according to the Syrian Network for Human Rights, pro-Assad forces caused more than 90% of those civilian deaths. The Assad government perpetrated numerous war crimes during the course of the Syrian civil war, while its army has carried out several attacks with chemical weapons (most notably, a sarin gas strike in Ghouta on 21 August 2013). The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights stated that findings from an inquiry by the UN implicated Assad in war crimes, and he faced international investigations and condemnation for his actions.In November 2024, a coalition of Syrian rebels mounted several offensives against the country with the intention of ousting Assad. In December 2024, shortly before rebel troops took Damascus, Assad fled the country by plane, and his regime collapsed. He arrived in Moscow and was granted political asylum.This recording reflects the Wikipedia text as of 01:49 UTC on Monday, 9 December 2024.For the full current version of the article, see Bashar al-Assad on Wikipedia.This podcast uses content from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.Visit our archives at wikioftheday.com and subscribe to stay updated on new episodes.Follow us on Mastodon at @wikioftheday@masto.ai.Also check out Curmudgeon's Corner, a current events podcast.Until next time, I'm standard Geraint.

Lecture summary: Grand corruption – the abuse of public office for private gain by a nation's leaders (kleptocrats) - has devastating consequences. As then UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay said, the amount lost to corruption each year is enough to feed the world's hungry 80 times over. Grand corruption contributes to climate change and is a major impediment to ameliorating it. The refugees creating humanitarian and political crises around the world are largely fleeing failed states ruled by kleptocrats. Grand corruption is antithetical to democracy. Indignation at grand corruption has prompted uprisings in many countries and created grave dangers for international peace and security.Grand corruption does not thrive and endure in many countries because of a lack of laws. 186 UN member states are parties to the UN Convention against Corruption (UNCAC). Virtually all of them have the laws required by the UNCAC criminalizing corrupt conduct, and international obligations to enforce them against their corrupt leaders. However, kleptocrats have impunity in the countries they rule because they control the police, the prosecutors, and the courts.Therefore, the proposed International Anti-Corruption Court (IACC) is urgently needed. It will be a court of last resort, to prosecute kleptocrats and their private conspirators, for violating treaty counterparts of the laws of countries that are unwilling or unable to do so themselves. Successful prosecutions, and civil suits, in the IACC will result in the recovery and repatriation of stolen assets. The imprisonment of kleptocrats, who are among the worst abusers of human rights, will create opportunities for the democratic process to replace them with leaders dedicated to serving their citizens rather than enriching themselves. It will also deter others tempted to emulate their example.The effort to establish the IACC is rapidly progressing. It has been publicly endorsed by: more than 350 world leaders, including 55 former Presidents and Prime Ministers; the European Parliament; the Netherlands, Canada, Ecuador, Nigeria, Moldova, and the UK Labour Party before it recently took office. Many other countries have privately expressed support for the IACC or strong interest in seriously considering the treaty being drafted to establish it that will be ready to be reviewed in early 2025.Speaker: Mark L. Wolf is a Senior United States District Judge and Chair of the Integrity Initiatives International (III), which has catalyzed and is coordinating the campaign to create the IACC. Prior to his appointment in 1985, Judge Wolf served as a Special Assistant to the Attorney General of the US after Watergate and as the chief federal corruption prosecutor in Massachusetts. He has taught a course on combatting corruption internationally at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government. He has spoken on the role of a judge in a democracy, human rights issues, and combatting corruption in many countries, including Russia, China, Ukraine, Turkey, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Slovenia, Romania, Hungary, Egypt, Cyprus, Panama, Colombia, Mexico, Norway, the United Kingdom, France, the Netherlands, and at the Vatican.

Lecture summary: Grand corruption – the abuse of public office for private gain by a nation's leaders (kleptocrats) - has devastating consequences. As then UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay said, the amount lost to corruption each year is enough to feed the world's hungry 80 times over. Grand corruption contributes to climate change and is a major impediment to ameliorating it. The refugees creating humanitarian and political crises around the world are largely fleeing failed states ruled by kleptocrats. Grand corruption is antithetical to democracy. Indignation at grand corruption has prompted uprisings in many countries and created grave dangers for international peace and security.Grand corruption does not thrive and endure in many countries because of a lack of laws. 186 UN member states are parties to the UN Convention against Corruption (UNCAC). Virtually all of them have the laws required by the UNCAC criminalizing corrupt conduct, and international obligations to enforce them against their corrupt leaders. However, kleptocrats have impunity in the countries they rule because they control the police, the prosecutors, and the courts.Therefore, the proposed International Anti-Corruption Court (IACC) is urgently needed. It will be a court of last resort, to prosecute kleptocrats and their private conspirators, for violating treaty counterparts of the laws of countries that are unwilling or unable to do so themselves. Successful prosecutions, and civil suits, in the IACC will result in the recovery and repatriation of stolen assets. The imprisonment of kleptocrats, who are among the worst abusers of human rights, will create opportunities for the democratic process to replace them with leaders dedicated to serving their citizens rather than enriching themselves. It will also deter others tempted to emulate their example.The effort to establish the IACC is rapidly progressing. It has been publicly endorsed by: more than 350 world leaders, including 55 former Presidents and Prime Ministers; the European Parliament; the Netherlands, Canada, Ecuador, Nigeria, Moldova, and the UK Labour Party before it recently took office. Many other countries have privately expressed support for the IACC or strong interest in seriously considering the treaty being drafted to establish it that will be ready to be reviewed in early 2025.Speaker: Mark L. Wolf is a Senior United States District Judge and Chair of the Integrity Initiatives International (III), which has catalyzed and is coordinating the campaign to create the IACC. Prior to his appointment in 1985, Judge Wolf served as a Special Assistant to the Attorney General of the US after Watergate and as the chief federal corruption prosecutor in Massachusetts. He has taught a course on combatting corruption internationally at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government. He has spoken on the role of a judge in a democracy, human rights issues, and combatting corruption in many countries, including Russia, China, Ukraine, Turkey, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Slovenia, Romania, Hungary, Egypt, Cyprus, Panama, Colombia, Mexico, Norway, the United Kingdom, France, the Netherlands, and at the Vatican.

As crises mount, Volker Türk, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, has told UN News there needs to be greater openness and accountability, warning that the world faces a critical turning point in the fight for human rights.While human rights mechanisms have played a crucial role in preventing conflicts and atrocities, he expressed deep concern over the speed of escalation, emphasising that it is not rights themselves that are in crisis, but a lack of political leadership to enforce them.In an interview with UN News's Nargiz Shekinskaya at UN Headquarters in New York, Mr. Türk discussed the impact of current crises, including the erosion of international law, the role of technology and rising authoritarianism.

*) Israel attacks UN peacekeepers in Lebanon Global leaders have expressed outrage and called for accountability after Israel attacked the UN peacekeeper's headquarters in south Lebanon. The mission said at least two peacekeepers were wounded when an Israeli military's Merkava tank directly hit an observation tower at its headquarters in Naqura.  The UN peacekeepers have accused Israel of "repeatedly" hitting their positions deliberately.  *) Israeli launches deadly strikes in occupied West Bank Meanwhile, Israeli drones have fired missiles that killed two Palestinians in the northern occupied West Bank. According to the official Palestinian news agency WAFA, two Palestinians were killed in an Israeli drone strike on a vehicle in the Jabal al Salihin area, east of Tulkarem.  Israeli forces immediately stormed the area after the strike, retrieved the bodies of the men, and withdrew from the location.
 *) UN accuses Israel of destroying Gaza health care system A UN inquiry has found that Israel carried out a concerted policy of destroying Gaza's health care system in its war on Gaza. This amounts to both war crimes and crimes against humanity.  A statement by the ex-UN High Commissioner for Human Rights accused Israel of "relentless and deliberate attacks on medical personnel and facilities" in its war on Gaza.  According to the report that will be presented to the UN General Assembly on October 30, children in particular have borne the brunt of these attacks.
 *) Mpox continues to be major health issue: African health body Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (ADC) has said mpox is still a major public health issue in Africa, A total of 3,186 new cases were reported in the past week, with 489 confirmed and 53 deaths.  According to ADC, there is a need to accelerate several interventions, including vaccination, to stop the spread, amid surging cases.  *) Unilever finally exits Russia, sells subsidiary British consumer goods giant Unilever has completed the sale of Unilever Russia, finally joining many other multinationals in exiting the country following the Ukraine war.  Unilever said in a statement that it had offloaded the subsidiary to Arnest Group, a Russian manufacturer, for an undisclosed amount.
 Unilever said its business in Russia's close ally Belarus was included in the sale.

In this episode, we speak with Pooja Kumar MD, Senior Partner at McKinsey & Company and Global Leader of the McKinsey Health Institute. Pooja has led transformative change across health systems worldwide.  Pooja's grew up around the world, attended high school in New Jersey before attending Duke University, Harvard Medical School, and the University of Oxford. She has worked with international organizations such as the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Save the Children, UNICEF, and Doctors Without Borders. She has deep experience contributing to humanitarian efforts in refugee health, aging care, and public health improvement. Pooja's work at the McKinsey Health Institute seeks to impact the historically underinvested areas of health, such as mental health and women's health. Subscribe on Apple or YouTube or via the Website

In this Film Ireland podcast, Gemma Creagh talks to Aoife Kelleher, Director of Mrs Robinson. Mrs Robinson tells Mary's story, in her own words, for the very first time - illuminating battles for justice and equality over half a century; on the streets, in the courts, at the ballot box, and in backroom corridors of power. A reforming constitutional lawyer and senator in her early career, Mary Robinson detonated an electoral earthquake by winning the Irish Presidential vote in 1990. Later, as a crusading UN High Commissioner, she built a lasting legacy; fearlessly challenging perpetrators of human rights abuses all over the world.To this day, she exerts power and leadership as the Chair of The Elders; the independent group of global leaders (founded by Nelson Mandela) who work for peace, justice and human rights. As an influential global voice, Mary Robinson is also spearheading Project Dandelion: a women-led climate justice campaign. Mrs Robinson was directed by Aoife Kelleher and produced by Cormac Hargaden and Trisha Canning for Loosehorse. Executive Producers on the film include Pat Mitchell (co-founder of Project Dandelion), Geralyn Dreyfous, Lyn Lear, Regina K. Scully, Ruth Ann Harnisch and Melony Lewis. The film was funded by Fís Éireann /Screen Ireland and the Fiscal Sponsorship programme of the Utah Film Center.

*Content warning: domestic violence, intimate partner violence, physical, emotional, mental, and sexual abuse, assault, racism, murder, and hate crimesResources: Interpride: https://www.interpride.org/UN Women: https://www.unwomen.org/Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation: https://glaad.org/UN High Commissioner for Refugees: https://www.unhcr.org/us/Sources:Understanding Intimate Partner Violence in the LGBTQ+ Community. (2022, November 4). Human Rights Campaign. Retrieved June 26, 2024, from https://www.hrc.org/resources/understanding-intimate-partner-violence-in-the-lgbtq-communityN.T. Brown, T., & L. Herman, J. (2015). Intimate Partner Violence and Sexual Abuse Among LGBT People: A review of existing research. UCLA Williams Institute School of Law. Retrieved June 26, 2024, from https://williamsinstitute.law.ucla.edu/publications/ipv-sex-abuse-lgbt-people/E. James, S., L. Herman, J., E. Durso, L., & Heng-Lehtinen, R. (2024). 2022 U.S. Trans Survey. National Center for Transgender Equality. Retrieved June 26, 2024, from https://transequality.org/sites/default/files/2024-02/2022%20USTS%20Early%20Insights%20Report_FINAL.pdfYouth Risk Behavior Survey: Data Summary & Trends Report 2009 - 2019. (n.d.). In Center for Disease Control. Center for Disease Control. https://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/data/yrbs/pdf/YRBSDataSummaryTrendsReport2019-508.pdfWiggins, C. (2023, October 17). Hate Crimes Against LGBTQ+ People Surge, FBI Reports. The Advocate. https://www.advocate.com/news/fbi-increase-lgbtq-hate-crimesLi, W., & Lartey, J. (2023, March 25). New FBI Data Shows More Hate Crimes. These Groups Saw The Sharpest Rise. The Marshall Project. https://www.themarshallproject.org/2023/03/25/asian-hate-crime-fbi-black-lgbtqJimanekia Eborn: Jimanekia's Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/jimanekia Jimanekia's Website: https://traumaqueen.love/ Trauma Queen the Podcast: https://traumaqueen.love/podcast What Came Next Episode 36: [Jimanekia Eborn] Everyone Does Survivorship DifferentlySee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk has spoken out about the eruption of deadly violence in Papua New Guinea. There are now 4500 Bougainvillean residents backing a legal suit against mining giant Rio Tinto. And Fiji is on track to defend its Tokyo Olympics sevens gold medal after just beating Ireland in this morning's quarterfinal.

GUEST OVERVIEW: Saul J. Takahashi is Professor of Human Rights and Peace Studies at Osaka Jogakuin University in Osaka, Japan. He is an international human rights and humanitarian lawyer, and his main research interests include human rights in Palestine and Islamophobia. Saul served as Deputy Head of Office of the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights in Occupied Palestine from March 2009 to May 2014.

Nearly 75 years after the United Nations called for the abolition of  coca leaf chewing, the world will have an opportunity to correct this grave historic error. The World Health Organization (WHO), at  the Plurinational State of Bolivia's request,  and supported by Colombia, will conduct a ‘critical review' of the coca leaf over the next year. Based on its findings, the WHO may recommend changes in coca's classification under the UN drug control treaties. The WHO recommendations would be submitted for approval by the UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND), with voting likely in 2026.  The Washington Office on Latin America (WOLA) and the Transnational Institute (TNI) will be monitoring the coca review process closely and examining key aspects of the debate. As part of this we are producing a series called “Coca Chronicles”. The first issue of the Coca Chronicles discussed the current classification of the coca leaf in Schedule I of the 1961 UN Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs (or its effective ban) and Bolivia's initiation of the WHO critical review process. The second issue highlighted three developments during the March 2024 CND session: (1) support for the coca review from the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights; (2) Bolivia's call to protect the coca leaf as a genetic resource; and (3) an update on the WHO's preparations for the review.  In this third issue, Anthropologist Wade Davis gives us a deep dive into the history and significance of the coca leaf in the Andean Amazon region.  Wade Davis is a Canadian cultural anthropologist, ethnobotanist, photographer, and writer. He is professor of anthropology and the BC Leadership Chair in Cultures and Ecosystems at Risk at the University of British Columbia. He is a multiple award-winning author of more than 25 books, and has done extensive research into coca leaf, among many other ethnobotanic explorations.  

Leonard Rubenstein is Professor at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, non-resident Fellow at CSIS, and Chair of the Safeguarding Health in Conflict Coalition. He joins us to unpack the Coalition's 11th annual report on 2023. Four big wars—Ukraine, Myanmar, Gaza, Sudan—are driving up attacks upon civilians, and deaths, to exceptionally high levels. At the same time, attacks on the health sector reached over 2,500 recorded incidents in 2023, a 20% increase over 2022. Attacks on hospitals are often part of a deliberate, targeted military strategy. In other instances, they are a result merely of “contempt and indifference” as combatants wage war indiscriminately. What can be done, if policy is typically “hand-wringing” and “total impunity”? There could be breakthroughs through investigations and prosecutions in Ukraine and the International Criminal Court's actions in the Israeli-Gaza war. Over time, we do see progress at the UN High Commissioner on Human Rights and the World Health Organization.

UNRWA warns of critical health care shortages in Gaza https://www.trtworld.com/middle-east/live-blog-unrwa-warns-of-critical-health-care-shortages-in-gaza-18177343 The UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) has issued a stark warning about the urgent need for health care in Gaza. Severe shortages of essential medicines and fuel are hampering life-saving operations in the region, it said. During its nine-month carnage in Gaza, Tel Aviv reduced most of the enclave to ruins, causing a massive shortage of basic necessities. *) UN lambasts Israeli soldiers for unleashing dogs on detained Palestinians https://docs.google.com/document/d/1c0CLIx4yhk5PFHBHxCtFuAbJO07iQeTFYqlGH1coJLQ/edit UN High Commissioner for Human Rights spokesperson Jeremy Laurence has criticised Israeli soldiers for unleashing dogs on detained Palestinians. Laurence said the UN is “aware of reports that dogs have been released on detainees, in some cases resulting in attacks and bites.” He emphasised that such actions constitute serious violations of Israel's obligations under occupation law and under international human rights law. *) Iranians vote in snap presidential elections amid regional tensions https://www.trtworld.com/middle-east/iranians-vote-in-snap-presidential-elections-amid-regional-tensions-18177722 Voting has begun in Iran to elect a new president following the death of Ebrahim Raisi in a helicopter crash on May 19. Polls opened at 0430 GMT and are set to close at 1430 GMT on Friday. As ballots are counted manually, the final result is expected to be announced in two days. *) New Delhi airport roof collapses one dead, several injured https://trtworld.com/asia/new-delhi-airport-roof-collapses-one-dead-several-injured-18177729 The roof of a newly refurbished terminal building at New Delhi's international airport has partially collapsed in heavy rains, killing one person and injuring eight others. Images posted online showed vehicles crushed under giant steel girders at the departure forecourt of Terminal 1. The airport was one of several projects inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in March ahead of the country's general election. And finally… *) Biden showcases fluctuating performance in debate with Trump https://www.trtworld.com/us-and-canada/biden-showcases-fluctuating-performance-in-debate-with-trump-18177708 US President Joe Biden has delivered a shaky performance during the debate, while his Republican rival Donald Trump launched a series of attacks. The two oldest presidential candidates exchanged deeply personal insults ahead of November's US election. They sparred over issues such as abortion, immigration, the wars in Ukraine and Gaza, the economy, and even their golf games.

On World Refugee Day, Carnegie Council hosted a critical discussion on enhancing multilateral cooperation at the intersection of climate change and human mobility, the second event in the Council's “Unlocking Cooperation” series. As extreme weather events and rising sea levels increasingly threaten coastal and island populations, particularly Small Island Developing States (SIDS), the panel will explore the urgent need for innovative and inclusive policies, guided by ethical considerations, to address climate-induced displacement and migration. The discussion featured Ambassador Ali Naseer Mohamed, permanent representative of the Republic of Maldives to the UN, alongside experts from the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the New York Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). The conversation was moderated by University for Peace's Ramu Damodaran. For more, please go to: https://carnegiecouncil.co/climate-change-mobility

It is now more than a year since civil war erupted in Sudan following a power struggle between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces. 14 months on, the figures show that over 6 million people have been displaced within the country, with at least one and half million people fleeing across Sudan's borders. The UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi has just got back from the country and explains what he has seen.Also on the programme, we reflect on the life of actor Donald Sutherland who has died at the age of 88; and we hear from Kenya where young people have taken to the streets to try to force the government to back down on its plan for tax rises. (Picture: A handout photograph, shows a woman and baby at the Zamzam displacement camp, close to El Fasher in North Darfur, Sudan, January 2024, MSF/Mohamed Zakaria/Handout via REUTERS)

Russian President Vladimir Putin's visit to North Korea raising international concern. UN High Commissioner for Human Rights says civillian deaths rose by 72% in 2023.A new report says the Paris Olympics could break the record for the hottest games. 

On today's show, Prof. Saul Takahashi discusses the latest world conflicts. GUEST OVERVIEW: Saul J. Takahashi is Professor of Human Rights and Peace Studies at Osaka Jogakuin University in Osaka, Japan. He is an international human rights and humanitarian lawyer, and his main research interests include human rights in Palestine and Islamophobia. Saul served as Deputy Head of Office of the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights in Occupied Palestine from March 2009 to May 2014.

Ravina Shamdasani, Chief Spokesperson for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights outlines the UN's concerns with ‘disproportionate' police action on US university campuses.

This week on Babel, Jon Alterman speaks with Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein, the former UN High Commissioner for Refugees, a former Jordanian diplomat, and the current president and CEO of the International Peace Institute. They discuss the pursuit of human rights in a multipolar world and the role that the United Nations can play in Gaza. Then, Jon continues the conversation with Natasha Hall and Leah Hickert to explore the importance of codifying human rights into international law and the challenges of sustaining international attention on human rights crises. Transcript, "Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein: Human Rights in a Messy World," CSIS, April 2, 2024.

Ravina Shamdasani, Chief Spokesperson for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, urges Israel not to press ahead with its planned ground offensive in Rafah.

As of May 2023, there were an estimated 110 million forcibly displaced people worldwide, according to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees. Many are escaping wars, gang violence or repressive regimes, others are fleeing climate change impacts. Some are leaving collapsed economies where they can't feed their families. How journalists cover refugees and immigration has a major impact on public perceptions. This is the first in a series of episodes looking at the intersection of journalism, refugees and immigration because it's such an important issue, and because how journalists report on it has such a strong impact on public attitudes.Guest Dina Francesca Haynes is an immigration and human rights attorney with decades of experience around the world. She worked for the UN High Commissioner for Refugees in Bosnia and Afghanistan, and with the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights in Rwanda, among other international organizations. She's personally represented hundreds of asylum seekers and victims of human trafficking. Haynes also writes for publications like The Jurist and The Hill, and has served as an expert source for journalists at CNN, Vice News, NPR, and other news outlets. She is the founder and president of the legal aid organization Refugee Projects, and directs the Immigration Law Certificate Program at New England Law. In this interview, she shares moving stories about clients trying to escape war and human trafficking; as well as advice for both journalists and activists on how to communicate fairly and accurately about immigration in a highly politicized atmosphere. LEARN MOREVisit refugeeprojects.org, and follow on Instagram @refugeeprojects.Read Dina Haynes' article in Jurist: Rule of Law Chronicles: Migration, Xenophobia and the Immigrant Other (May 2023)Read the Vice News article on human trafficking in Afghanistan quoting Dina Haynes: The Anti-Trafficking Movement Is Pivoting to Afghanistan (October 2021)Music in this episode by Poddington Bear, Bill Vortex, Meavy Boy and Doyeq.  ABOUT THE SHOWMaking Peace Visible is a project of War Stories Peace Stories. Making Peace Visible is hosted by Jamil Simon and produced by Andrea Muraskin, with help from Faith McClure. Learn more at warstoriespeacestories.org. Support this show and the War Stories Peace Stories project

*) 'Everyone in Gaza is hungry' : UN chief appeals for heightened aid UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has urgently called for increased humanitarian aid into Gaza because of severe hunger, mass displacement and a crumbling humanitarian system. "I call for rapid, safe, unhindered, expanded and sustained humanitarian access throughout Gaza," Guterres wrote on X. "Everyone in Gaza is hungry. 1.7 million people have been displaced. The humanitarian system is collapsing," he said, highlighting the critical situation. *) Hamas receives truce proposal 'positively' — Qatar Hamas has given "initial positive confirmation" to a proposal for the cessation of fighting in Gaza and the release of hostages, Qatar's foreign ministry spokesman has said. US, Egyptian and Qatari mediators met with Israeli intelligence officials in Paris on Sunday where they proposed a six-week pause in the Gaza war and a hostage swap for Hamas to review. "That proposal has been approved by the Israeli side and now we have an initial positive confirmation from the Hamas' side," Majed al Ansari told an audience at a Washington-based graduate school. Ansari emphasised that a challenging path lies ahead in the negotiations. *) $54B aid package to Ukraine sends 'strong message to Putin' — EU European Council President Charles Michel has announced that all 27 EU countries have sealed a deal on additional €50 billion or $54 billion aid to Ukraine. “We have a deal,” Michel said in a post on X. The announcement came despite staunch objections from Hungary in December and in the days leading up to Thursday's summit in Brussels. *) War between rival generals in Sudan displaces 8M people: UN The number of people uprooted by the war between rival generals in Sudan is around eight million, the United Nations has said. UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi, who was later to visit Sudan, rallied international donors to open their wallets to fight the crisis, describing the situation as "serious" on Wednesday. "Since April 2023, so less than a year ago, eight million people have been displaced from their homes in Sudan," he said, adding that more than 1.5 million had fled to six neighbouring countries. *) Spain's Catalonia declares drought emergency for Barcelona Spain's northeastern Catalonia region has declared a drought emergency for Barcelona and the surrounding area, which will now face tighter water restrictions following three years without significant rain. The head of the regional government of Catalonia, Pere Aragones, announced on Thursday that the step after reservoirs in the Mediterranean region fell below 16 percent of their capacity. That level is the benchmark set by the authorities for the application of a new round of water-saving measures that will affect some six million people.

After two World Wars and the Holocaust, the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights of 1948 was a milestone for humanity. But 75 years later, the document remains both an inspiration and a measure of failure. Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein, former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, talks with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about the origins of the document, its role in "stating the obvious," and why the world has fallen woefully behind in upholding it. Learn more: https://research.un.org/en/udhr75

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

#israel #hamas #gaza #ukraine #russia #biden #putin #Zelenskyy #peaceStep into the complex world of geopolitics with our special guest, Colonel Karen Kwiatkowski. From unraveling the mystery surrounding the Nordstream Pipeline and the CIA's third narrative to scrutinizing the enigma of the crashing black hawk helicopters, get ready for an insightful and illuminating journey. We also shed light on Colonel Kwiatkowski's experiences in the air force and engage in a provocative discussion based on her latest article, 'We Have a Government of Clowns, Clunkers, and Criminals and We Have a Government of Cowards'.Our discourse doesn't stop there. We take a hard look at the Biden administration's handling of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Challenging the accepted narratives, we dissect the resistance from the Netanyahu government to the US support for a two-state solution. We scrutinize recent arms shipments to Israel, questioning what our actions truly reveal. Plus, we examine the contrasting perspectives on the Biden administration's proposition to reunify Gaza and the West Bank under Palestinian leadership. In the final stretch, we dare to tackle accountability in the wake of the October 7th attacks. Uncover the implications of Prime Minister Netanyahu's reluctance to accept responsibility and the intense political engagement of the Israeli people. Furthermore, we don't shy away from analyzing the response to the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights' accusation of Israel's collective punishment of Palestinian civilians being tantamount to a war crime. Join us as we navigate through these important issues, challenging the status quo and seeking the truth.ABOUT:Karen Kwiatkowski is an American activist and commentator. She is a retired U.S. Air Force Lieutenant Colonel whose assignments included duties as a Pentagon desk officer and a variety of roles for the National Security Agency. Since retiring, she has become a noted critic of the U.S. government's involvement in Iraq. Kwiatkowski is primarily known for her insider essays which denounce a corrupting political influence on the course of military intelligence leading up to the invasion of Iraq in 2003.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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

Read the transcript of this podcast: https://therealnews.comOne month since the launch of Operation Al-Aqsa Flood on Oct. 7, the Israeli military has slaughtered more than 10,000 Palestinians, including over 4,000 children. International condemnation is growing, with multiple governments withdrawing their ambassadors from Israel and organizations around the world calling for Israel's leaders to be prosecuted for war crimes. In an Oct. 28 resignation letter, Craig Mokhiber, former Director of the New York Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, noted that there is "no room for doubt or debate" that the Israeli government is intentionally perpetuating a genocide of the Palestinian people with the support of the US, EU, and other international actors. Drawing on his decades of experience as a war correspondent and years living in and reporting on Gaza, Chris Hedges joins The Marc Steiner Show to discuss Israel's endgame: the full elimination and depopulation of Palestinians from the Gaza Strip.Help us continue producing The Marc Steiner Show by following us and becoming a monthly sustainer:Donate: https://therealnews.com/donate-pod-mssSign up for our newsletter: https://therealnews.com/nl-pod-stLike us on Facebook: https://facebook.com/therealnewsFollow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/therealnews

Read the transcript of this podcast: https://therealnews.comOne month since the launch of Operation Al-Aqsa Flood on Oct. 7, the Israeli military has slaughtered more than 10,000 Palestinians, including over 4,000 children. International condemnation is growing, with multiple governments withdrawing their ambassadors from Israel and organizations around the world calling for Israel's leaders to be prosecuted for war crimes. In an Oct. 28 resignation letter, Craig Mokhiber, former Director of the New York Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, noted that there is "no room for doubt or debate" that the Israeli government is intentionally perpetuating a genocide of the Palestinian people with the support of the US, EU, and other international actors. Drawing on his decades of experience as a war correspondent and years living in and reporting on Gaza, Chris Hedges joins The Marc Steiner Show to discuss Israel's endgame: the full elimination and depopulation of Palestinians from the Gaza Strip.Help us continue producing The Marc Steiner Show by following us and becoming a monthly sustainer:Donate: https://therealnews.com/donate-pod-mssSign up for our newsletter: https://therealnews.com/nl-pod-stLike us on Facebook: https://facebook.com/therealnewsFollow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/therealnews

The second part of our conversation from 2012 with The Elders, a coalition of world leaders and figureheads freed from the constraints of office whose wealth of experience can open doors at the highest level. In this episode, our panel made up of former US president Jimmy Carter, Mary Robinson – the first female president of Ireland and former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights – and South African religious leader and activist Archbishop Desmond Tutu, reflect on issues such as the ethics of drone warfare, global human rights, the future of NATO and more. Hosting the discussion, which still feels timely today, is the broadcaster Jon Snow. We'd love to hear your feedback and what you think we should talk about next, who we should have on and what our future debates should be.  Send us an email or voice note with your thoughts to podcasts@intelligencesquared.com or Tweet us @intelligence2.  And if you'd like to get ad-free access to all Intelligence Squared podcasts, including exclusive bonus content, early access to new episodes and much more, become a supporter of Intelligence Squared today for just £4.99, or the equivalent in your local currency .  Just visit intelligencesquared.com/membership to find out more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In 2012, Intelligence Squared partnered with The Elders, a coalition of world leaders and figureheads freed from the constraints of office whose wealth of experience can open doors at the highest level. Brought together by Nelson Mandela in 2007, The Elders use their collective experience and influence to promote peace, justice and human rights worldwide, using private advocacy and public diplomacy. To celebrate the group's fifth anniversary, Intelligence Squared hosted three of the Elders on stage in London at the Barbican Centre including former US president Jimmy Carter, Mary Robinson – the first female president of Ireland and former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights – and South African religious leader and activist Archbishop Desmond Tutu. Hosted by the broadcaster Jon Snow, the audience were also joined for a brief introductory discussion about the formation of The Elders organisaton with Virgin Group entrepreneur Sir Richard Branson and musician Peter Gabriel. This is the first half of the the discussion. Join us for the second half in the following episode.  We'd love to hear your feedback and what you think we should talk about next, who we should have on and what our future debates should be.  Send us an email or voice note with your thoughts to podcasts@intelligencesquared.com or Tweet us @intelligence2.  And if you'd like to get ad-free access to all Intelligence Squared podcasts, including exclusive bonus content, early access to new episodes and much more, become a supporter of Intelligence Squared today for just £4.99, or the equivalent in your local currency .  Just visit intelligencesquared.com/membership to find out more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices