Podcasts about un high commissioner

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."

Show Notes: Just Access Podcast, Season 3 Launch (Part 2)In this special episode of the Just Access Podcast, host Dr. Miranda Melcher dives into inspiring conversations with Dr. Tom Sparks, Director of Just Access, and Cvetanka Kiroska, Head of Projects. This episode continues the Season 3 launch in celebration of International Human Rights Day and the podcast's second anniversary.Highlights of the Episode:Cvetanka Kiroska's JourneyGrowing up during Yugoslavia's turbulent collapse and finding refuge in literature, music, and languages.Her path from translating and interpreting to working on conflict resolution and multi-ethnic education projects in Macedonia.Eye-opening experiences in international human rights, including working with families of missing persons in the Balkans and NGOs assisting refugees.Joining Just Access and shaping the organization's impactful projects.Dr. Tom Sparks' Path to LeadershipFrom participating in mock trials as a teen to studying law and specializing in international law.His advocacy journey with Amnesty International, learning human rights governance, and leading impactful initiatives.Transitioning from academia to Just Access to combine legal expertise with practical human rights work.Behind the Scenes of the PodcastThe origin story of the Just Access Podcast and the creative process behind its production.Insights into the team's vision: amplifying human rights stories and inspiring everyone to be a defender of justice.Challenges and rewards of launching a podcast from scratch.Dream GuestsGuests they aspire to feature, including global leaders like UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türck, ICC Prosecutor Karim Khan, and activist Omar Alshogre.Highlighting the importance of showcasing both prominent figures and everyday heroes advocating for justice.Just Access in ActionThe organization's three pillars: Strategic Litigation, Advocacy, and Education.Dr. Sparks shares how the podcast is central to educating and inspiring listeners worldwide.Ways to get involved: internships, volunteering, donations, and more.Get InvolvedInspired by this episode? Here's how you can support Just Access:Share the podcast with friends and on social media.Explore the blog and other resources on Just Access's website.Volunteer or donate to support human rights and access to justice.

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.

In partnership with The Mary Robinson Centre, TikTok has today launched the TikTok Youth Climate Leaders Alliance, a programme aimed at 18-30-year-olds looking to make significant changes in the face of the climate crisis. The programme will equip participants with the knowledge, skills, and tools they will need to make a real difference in tackling climate change, and includes a climate literacy and leadership programme for secondary schools, along with digital learning resources, and an invitation to participate in a climate festival to take place in September 2024. Up to 50 participants will participate in the programme, which will run from May 1 until the end of the year. Highlights of the programme will include: An 8-month climate leadership workshop series, held at the Mary Robinson Centre, with guest speakers and practical climate actions to empower participants to become climate leaders in their own communities Participation in the Mary Robinson Climate Conference, hosted by Mary Robinson on June 5-7, 2024 in Ballina Site visits to local Ballina Green Town climate action projects The awarding of a bursary opportunity to five participants at the end of the programme to continue their climate action initiatives. Applicants are invited to apply via: www.maryrobinsoncentre.ie/programme-call. The application process will close on Earth Day, Monday, April 22, 2024. The TikTok Youth Climate Leaders Alliance, in partnership with the Mary Robinson Centre, is part of TikTok's wider climate commitments, which includes the overarching goal to become operationally carbon neutral by 2030, as well as advancing climate literacy and educational content within TikTok's platform. Mary Robinson, Chair of the Elders and former President of Ireland commented: "The Mary Robinson Centre's partnership with TikTok to deliver the TikTok Youth Climate Leaders Alliance is an exciting development. It has the potential to deliver real impact, empowering a new generation and building a movement of young people equipped to address some of the global challenges ahead, and to drive significant change. I look forward to seeing their achievements in time." Elaine Fox, TikTok Ireland added: "It is truly an honour to join forces with the Chair of The Elders; distinguished former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and former President of Ireland, Mary Robinson in the fight against climate change, and to launch the 'TikTok Youth Climate Leaders Alliance' in partnership with the Mary Robinson Centre. Through this partnership, we are proud to offer the climate leaders of tomorrow the resources and support to empower them to make a significant impact. This ambitious programme is just one part of TikTok's work against climate change and aligns with our wider 2030 net zero commitments." See more stories here.

Kathryn interviews Author Myra Sack.When their daughter Havi was a year old, Myra Sack and her physician husband Matt Goldstein noticed delays in her physical development. After physical therapy was prescribed with no noticeable progress, and more developmental milestones were missed, Myra and Matt, driven to find answers, sought out pediatric specialists. On December 17, 2019, their world was shattered. At fifteen months old, Havi was diagnosed with Tay-Sachs, a fatal neurodegenerative disease that can be revealed through genetic testing but was misreported to the couple. Havi was given just a year to live. Sack offers the readers nothing short of “an act of grace” in her memoir of Havi's short life and the tragic journey to help her daughter live and die. She is certified in Compassionate Bereavement Care and has written for numerous publications including the Boston Globe, Upworthy, Hadassah Magazine and TODAY.com.Kathryn also interviews Author Kyne Santos.Kyne Santos began her drag career while at university and became known for her drag tutorials on YouTube. In 2020, she appeared on the first season of Canada's Drag Race where she fought not only for the crown, but also screen time. Following her tv appearance, she took to TikTok (onlinekyne) to make short-form math videos where she tells riddles, gives math lessons, and teaches her followers how to spot misleading statistics in media, all while dressed in high-glamour drag. She now reaches more than 1.5 million viewers and is a sought-after partner, working with brands such as Yahoo, L'Oreal, MAC Cosmetics, Pinterest, UN High Commissioner for Refugees, and more. Kyne has appeared on TODAY.com, ABC News, and NPR's Short Wave.

Kathryn interviews Author Myra Sack.When their daughter Havi was a year old, Myra Sack and her physician husband Matt Goldstein noticed delays in her physical development. After physical therapy was prescribed with no noticeable progress, and more developmental milestones were missed, Myra and Matt, driven to find answers, sought out pediatric specialists. On December 17, 2019, their world was shattered. At fifteen months old, Havi was diagnosed with Tay-Sachs, a fatal neurodegenerative disease that can be revealed through genetic testing but was misreported to the couple. Havi was given just a year to live. Sack offers the readers nothing short of “an act of grace” in her memoir of Havi's short life and the tragic journey to help her daughter live and die. She is certified in Compassionate Bereavement Care and has written for numerous publications including the Boston Globe, Upworthy, Hadassah Magazine and TODAY.com.Kathryn also interviews Author Kyne Santos.Kyne Santos began her drag career while at university and became known for her drag tutorials on YouTube. In 2020, she appeared on the first season of Canada's Drag Race where she fought not only for the crown, but also screen time. Following her tv appearance, she took to TikTok (onlinekyne) to make short-form math videos where she tells riddles, gives math lessons, and teaches her followers how to spot misleading statistics in media, all while dressed in high-glamour drag. She now reaches more than 1.5 million viewers and is a sought-after partner, working with brands such as Yahoo, L'Oreal, MAC Cosmetics, Pinterest, UN High Commissioner for Refugees, and more. Kyne has appeared on TODAY.com, ABC News, and NPR's Short Wave.

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.

Show Notes and Transcript UNRWA is a term that I had not heard 6 months ago. Their work, methods and purpose has intrigued me ever since.  Karys Rhea understands this issue at its core and joins Hearts of Oak to give the other side of the story.  The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugee, known as UNRWA, was set up in 1948, just 3 years after the UN started.  Karys starts by setting out the story of how and why UNRWA started.  A fascinating part of this story is how refugee status of 'Palestinians' is defined. It seems as though this is used to create a Palestinian refugee myth that exists out of hatred for Israel.  Which country in the world has dozens of refugee camps in their own country? How much money is used and is the UNRWA corrupt or transparent?  Karys exposes this group like you have never heard before. Karys Rhea is a producer of "American Thought Leaders" and "Fallout" at The Epoch Times and a fellow with The Jewish Leadership Project. She also works with the Middle East Forum and Baste Records. She has appeared on Newsmax, OANN, Real America's Voice, NTD News, and a variety of podcasts, and her articles can be found in Commentary, NY Daily News, Newsweek, The Federalist, Washington Examiner, and more. She has a BA from NYU in broadcast journalism and an MA in counterterrorism and homeland security from Reichman University in Israel. A former life found her touring the world as a drummer and songwriter before becoming disillusioned with the political and cultural arrogance of the music industry. She continues to release music in her spare time, in addition to publishing absurdist flash fiction.  Connect with Rhea... X                         x.com/RheaKarys?s=20 Interview recorded  23.3.24 Connect with Hearts of Oak... WEBSITE            heartsofoak.org/ PODCASTS        heartsofoak.podbean.com/ SOCIAL MEDIA  heartsofoak.org/connect/ SHOP                  heartsofoak.org/shop/ TRANSCRIPT (Hearts of Oak) It's wonderful to have someone who I met when I was over stateside last time, and that's Karys Rhea. Karys, thank you so much for your time today. (Karys Rhea) Thank you so much for having me, Peter. Not at all. It was great to meet you there at Epoch Times whenever I came there with Dr. Malone. And of course, you're there, a producer of American Thought Leaders and Fallout at the Epoch Times, you're a fellow of the Jewish Leadership Project, and people have probably seen you, especially your US audience on Newsmax or OAN or Real America Voice and many other of those networks. And I know your background, I think your BA is in journalism and then you've got a master's in counterterrorism and security, which is not just fascinating itself, but there are wider things to discuss. And you've got a strange background, I think, which you said to me was the music industry. The music industry to doing media and politics that's quite a step. Yeah well I mean I have competing interests on the one hand I grew up in the Bay Area and it's very progressive and artistic if you will lots of subcultures so I was always very much into the arts and performance and writing music. And then I spent 18 years in Brooklyn, which has New York City and much of that in Brooklyn, which has an incredible independent music scene. So after college, I made the decision to put a more lucrative and a safer career on hold and pursue music. And that's what I did for about seven years. And then I sort of grew up and got sick of hustling. And like I said, I had other interests and I started to slowly make my way into the non-profit world, doing Israel advocacy and, and, monitoring, Islamic terrorism and Islamism. And I went to grad school and then I got tired of doing that. And I switched into, broadcast journalism because as you mentioned, that is where I had originally received a degree in. And so that seemed like an appropriate career shift. Well it certainly is and obviously people can find you there on Epoch Times and also that is your handle on the screen for people to follow you on twitter and all the links are in the description but Karys maybe we can start with this term and I know you've spoken about it quite a bit I've seen a number of interviews you've done and that is this little phrase, which is an acronym, but I thought it was a phrase, UNRWA. And I heard this phrase from two of my US friends. And sometimes you let something go past thinking it's going to come up in the conversation, it's going to work out what it is they're talking about. I was never sure. So I had to ask, UNRWA, what is it? Do you want to just let us know what that stands for? It's obviously a United Nation agency, what it stands for, and then why this is an organization which you personally have been interested in it following? Sure. So UNRWA stands for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency. Many people do not know about it and did not know about it until October 7th, but there are actually many people throughout the world that have been raising the alarm bells on how corrupt and ineffective this UN agency is. It is one of the oldest and the costliest and largest agencies of the United Nations. It started in 1949 in order to help deal with the Arab Palestinian population that had been displaced as a result of the War of Independence, Israel's 1948 war when it was re-established after World War II. And it produced about 400 to 750,000 Arab Palestinian refugees. There's debate about that. And this UN agency was set up to to handle these refugees. One year later, another UN agency was set up called the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, the UNHCR. That agency deals with all of the refugees in the entire world. Today, it serves about 20 million refugees in 130 countries. And its mandate, as it should be, is to resettle these refugees that it's dealing with, right? You never want to keep refugees in limbo, in a stateless environment where you're in a camp and you rely on social services and healthcare and education, right? If you have been displaced from a conflict, the goal is not to keep you in a camp. The goal should always be to repatriate you, get you situated, get you settled in a new country where you can eventually be given citizenship and you're in that country and your children can be given citizenship. Right? You're repatriated. Now, UNRWA has a completely different mandate. And this is why, this is precisely why the Palestinian refugee population is still an issue today. If not for UNRWA, there would likely be no Palestinian refugees. Because think about it. Let's go back in time. When the War of Independence happened in 1948. That was after World War II. And after World War II, you had tens of millions of refugees created, right? I think 40 million refugees. I mean, there were millions of ethnic Germans, right, that were displaced from Eastern European countries. And you also had around that time the partition of Pakistan and India, right? And there was, I think, millions of refugees created from that, Muslim and Hindu refugees. How many of those refugees still exist today? Zero. There's no ethnic German refugees, no Pakistani refugees created from that conflict, right? Why? Because UNHCR has resettled them. And so that number of refugees has decreased. It has gone down and eventually has gotten to zero. The Palestinian refugees are the only group in the world whose population has increased from, as we said, 400 to 750,000 originally in that war, ballooned to what UNRWA says is 5.9 million refugees. Now, if UNRWA only claims to serve refugees that were displaced in this 1948 war, as it says, how has this number ballooned? People don't think about that. People accept, the media, academics, our governments, everybody just accepts this number that UNRWA touts. There is 5.9 million Palestinian refugees and nobody thinks to themselves, well, how is that possible? You know, and the reason is, is because UNRWA uses a different definition for what constitutes a refugee and their mandate, unlike the UNHCR, is not to resettle refugees. Not one Palestinian refugee that UNRWA claims to serve has been resettled into a host country. Not only that, as I just mentioned, the definition of what constitutes a refugee is different, right? So, you know, I could even read you. I have the actual definitions right here if you'd like me to, but if not, I can just summarize. Here, let me just read it to you. So we have, oh, wait, actually, I don't think I have it pulled up here. Never mind. It doesn't really matter. The point is, is that the UNHCR, the refugee status that they afford to those displaced from conflicts, it directly relates to those people, those individual people that were displaced. That's it. It does not carry on to their offspring, right? And that refugee status ends once they are resettled and especially once they are given citizenship in a new country, right? But refugee status for UNRWA extends to offspring of refugees regardless of whether they have been resettled or not, okay? And regardless of if they've gotten citizenship in another country, they're still considered refugees. So for example, if you were displaced in the 1948 war, you ended up in Jordan, and now you're given citizenship as about 1 million refugees, Palestinians in Jordan have been. All of those Palestinians are still considered refugees according to UNRWA, even though they are now Jordanian citizens. Not only that, but their children are now Jordanian citizens. And their children's children, even though they were born as Jordanian citizens, they are still considered refugees. This is bonkers, right? And not only that, UNRWA actually extends this refugee status to even adopted children, right? So, and it's so weird. They extend it. It's not all offspring. It's offspring of male Palestinian refugees, not females. And then it's adopted children as well of male Palestinian refugees. It is bizarre. So it's phenomenal that you have that crazy that the UN set up an organization to deal with refugees, but only one particular group a year before they set up a general. But you're right, you set up such an organisation to deal with an issue. So there was a conflict, Israel had reclaimed the land, it was rightly due, but there was a conflict, therefore, in that region, and Israel taking on the land, retaking its borders. So I can understand it would make sense to set up an organisation to help those who may be displaced by a conflict, conflict by any conflict, but yet that needs to have an end goal. But you talked about this passing on generation to generation. It seems as though the UN and other agencies, other bodies, worldwide governments, want to have an issue there, a problem there, because that's how they continue to apply pressure on Israel. So it seems to be they want a thorn in Israel's side. Is that a fair enough assessment? Absolutely. UNRWA was created to perpetuate the refugee, well, not created, but very soon after it was created. Because actually, I think a year after it was created, the director general or somebody high up in UNRWA recommended resettling about 250,000 refugees. The Arab countries were up in arms about this. Absolutely not, right? Not only that, we're not going to take any of these people in, right? These Arab countries that presumably were so, you know, sympathetic to the Palestinian plight and were so outspoken about, you know, how much these Palestinians needed to be cared for and how, you know, big bad Israel had treated them, right? And yet, how many Palestinian refugees have these Arab countries taken in? Only Jordan. Jordan is the only Arab nation that has taken in any Palestinian refugees and given them citizenship. They are still heavily discriminated against in Lebanon and Syria. You never hear about that. You only hear about Palestinian Arabs in the context of what Israel is doing to them. You never hear about how they're treated in Lebanon, where they are banned from dozens of professions, right. Uh, and kept in horrible, uh, conditions. So yeah, the UNRWA is, has basically just been hijacked. They are no longer, they are not a humanitarian, uh, agency as Enoch Wilf, who wrote a book called the war of return, I believe. And they, she heavily goes into the origins of, of UNRWA. She says that UNRWA is a war agency. It is not a humanitarian agency and it is meant to keep the Palestinian Arabs as as pawns in this fight against Israel. Tell us, you talked about corruption, I've heard that with the two friends i've spoken to stateside and they also repeat what you said that this is utterly corrupt organization within the UN and you think wow a corrupt organization is a corrupt organization within the corrupt organization of the UN. That's saying a lot. But what is specifically, because again, from the outside looking in, its mandate can seem a very positive one to actually help a group. So tell me why it's, I mean, the finance that goes through, how is that not used correctly? Is it because they have close relationship with Hamas? Is it because the money goes elsewhere? I mean, tell us a little bit about that side. Right, so even apart from Israel, even apart from UNRWA's connections to Jihadist groups, Islamic terrorist groups, even apart from the hate education, the anti-Semitic and jihadist material that they promote in their schools, even apart from their facilities being used by Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad to store weapons and launch rockets, apart from all of that, they have actually been engaged in scandal after scandal relating to nepotism, sex for money. The suppression of whistle-blowers, right? There was a huge scandal, I think, in 2019 where the director general was involved in this horrific sex for money scandal. And he ended up being fired along with, I think, half a dozen others. And if you look at what was going on and how the funds were misused for private jets and lavish business trips, it was just horrific. So that's apart from the, you know, irredeemable nature as an anti-Semitic and violent group, right? So even just aside from all of that, this group has many problems when it comes to corruption. But in terms of how its funds are used with relation to, you know, terrorism and perpetuating this war against Israel, there's many different components of this. So, for example, there's the curriculum component, right? UNRWA schools serve half a million Palestinian Arabs throughout Gaza, the West Bank, and East Jerusalem. I think they serve about 300,000 just in Gaza and the West Bank. And they have hundreds of schools. And they use the Palestinian authorities curriculum since 2017. And year after year after year, the textbooks are shown to be absolutely, horrifically rife with material promoting martyrdom, suicide bombing, other forms of violence, not just against Israelis, but against Jews anywhere, glorification of Hitler, teaching children in the context of math and science that there is no better position to aspire to than to be a martyr and to die in service of Allah. There is no better goal than to be fighting against Jews everywhere and to take up arms against Jews. I mean, the examples of this have just been documented year after year after year by organizations like UN Watch and Impact SE, they monitor these textbooks, and you'll see just the horrific examples. Not only that, UNRWA's teachers, their social media accounts have been investigated. And these teachers, hundreds of them have been found to glorify Hamas, to glorify the October 7th massacres. They've been found to just be outspoken about slaughtering Jews wherever you see them, slaughtering Zionists, slaughtering Israelis. They use these terms Jews, Zionists, Israelis interchangeably in Arabic, right? Like you're not going to, you know, when I say they're talking about slaughtering Jews... I'm not using Jews interchangeably with Israelis or Zionists. They are. They will use the word Yahud. They will use the word Jew, right? And in other times, they will use the word Israeli. In other times, they will use the word Zionist. So they're not just talking about Israelis here, right? Even if they are, that would be horrific. You don't want to be promoting violence against anybody. But these educational standards are in direct violation of UNESCO's provisions, which demand that all UN educational materials promote peace-making and tolerance. And, you know, you're not allowed to be othering any sort of group, any sort of religious or national or minority group. And yet UNRWA does nothing to reform their curriculum. As far as I know, not one teacher has been fired. There was a few, there was about six that were placed on administrative leave after a big report came out a few years ago. That's the most that I have heard, even though year after year after UN watch and it takes their reports to the UN, takes it to, you know, to Gutierrez and to, Philippe Lazzarini, the director of UNRWA and says, here, this is what we found. You need to to do something about this, nothing gets done. So that's just one element. That's just the education. Then we could go into, you know, their… So can I pick up? So how, I mean, people will be surprised to think the UN are actually running schools in any country. It's one thing to actually give money or help the program, but I didn't know it was a United Nations rule to actually run whole education establishments in other countries. Yeah. So UNRWA, well, because UNRWA's mandate, again, it's not to resettle refugees, it's to provide relief for refugees. So UNRWA, especially in a place like Gaza, has become the de facto government of Gaza. They provide education, they provide healthcare, they provide loans, they provide social services, right? And there was a quote that came out after October 7th from a Hamas leader who said. It's the U.N.'s job to deal with the refugees, the millions of refugees. It's our job to build the tunnels. So essentially what UNRWA does is it allows Hamas and other terrorist groups to not take on the responsibility of governing their own population and building a state. UNRWA allows Palestinian leadership, even the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank, to just focus on their war against Israel and not actually do the things that they would need to do to create a viable, functioning Palestinian state. That then they could actually have a chance of, you know, they could then actually have a chance of that state being independent and universally recognized. Tell us, there's one thing which came out, maybe the first time people did come across this term was earlier this year, or could be the end of last year, which was when a number of countries said they would cut funding or stop funding for UNRWA. Tell us about that because that seemed to be a possible wake-up call, although I think most countries have now rolled back and said, no, they'll keep giving. But there was, well, more than three months ago or whatever, a number of countries did say they had concerns. Right. It's tough to, it's hard to even really follow what's going on because, you know, one country will say we're pausing funds, right? And then a week later, you'll find out that they just released, you know, tens of millions to UNRWA and they'll say, oh, well, that was just leftover from like a previous contract or something. And now going forward, we're not, and then, and every few years, the European Union will pause funds because of a report that comes out discussing exactly the things we've been talking about here. And then they'll resume funding. You know, I mean, Trump completely pulled out funding of, he stopped all funding of UNRWA. We were giving, the US was giving about 300 million a year to UNRWA, which is about two thirds of its budget. They have have over a billion dollars annually from all of the countries. And just as an aside, the Gulf countries make up only about 7% of that budget. So the burden falls on the US and the EU and Germany and the UK. The UK gives about 40 million a year. And so we are funding UNRWA. And Trump pulled out this funding. He withdrew all of it in 2018 because he said it was the organization was irredeemably flawed. And unless they completely reformed, there was no reason to be giving money to an entity that was perpetuating a conflict rather than helping to solve it. Biden reversed that. Biden gets an office, you know, in 2021, he resumes funding. I don't think it's, I don't think it's back to 300 million a year. I think it's back to 150 million a year. You know, and then recently, like you said, the Biden administration and some other countries said, we're going to pause funding. You know, it might be paused for a few months here or there, but unless donor countries are prepared to permanently end funding, then I don't see any of these. I see these more as kind of virtue signalling moves rather than any profound interest in helping solve this problem. And I think I read that there were something like 60 refugee camps, I guess, run by UNRWA, supported by UNRWA. Obviously, you've got Lebanon, then Syria, then down to Jordan. And then half of them are, oh, they're in the West Bank and in Gaza. So half of the refugee camps are in areas where they are free to live. How do you have a refugee camp in your own country? I'm confused. Please explain that to me. I'm so glad you brought that up. There's no way to explain this. I mean, this is absolutely absurd. And it's such a tragedy that nobody has this thought that you just had, that people don't recognize, that people don't think to themselves, wait a second, why are there any refugee camps in Gaza and the West Bank? These are areas that would be part of a future Palestinian state. These areas are Palestine, right? And the West Bank areas, Area A and parts of Area B in the West Bank have complete autonomy. I mean, Israel has no jurisdiction over Area A in the West Bank, and Israel has no jurisdiction over all of Gaza, right? Israel pulled out of Gaza in 2005. There's people who say it's occupied. They don't know what they're talking about. Who occupied? There's no troops there. There's no Jews there. There's no Israelis there. How can it be occupied, right? People are now saying, oh, well, they still control the borders. Well, okay, we can talk about that, but that's not occupation. That would be correctly referred to as a blockade, right? But not an occupation. So, I mean, you know, so if Gaza is completely independent, has their own government, they're not taxed by Israel, right? Why are there still Palestinians in refugee camps? This makes no sense. And again, it's because UNRWA keeps them there, stateless, in limbo, right? And as an aside, let me just say that many of these camps, quote unquote, are not really camps at all. A few of them are, okay? There are some camps that, and you see pictures of them and they're, they're not in, they're not really in great conditions. But usually when you think of refugee camps, you think of tents, squatters. Many of what UNRWA considers refugee camps are actually four or five story concrete buildings that have electricity, running water, kitchens, satellite TV, internet. Okay. And Palestinians are living in these, in these buildings and they're still considered camps, but regardless. So, so, you know. Going back to the definition of a refugee, right, the UNHCR, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, which deals with all the other refugees in the world, their definition clearly states that to be considered a refugee, you cannot be in the country that you supposedly were displaced from. You have to be outside of the region, right? But these millions of Palestinians that are living in the West Bank and Gaza, that is their home. It's not like they would leave if they got a Palestinian state. So they should not be considered refugees to begin with. And yet they are. Wow. And you've got, I think it was a beautiful interview clip I saw of Douglas Murray talking about, of course, the interviewer telling him how Israel is occupying Gaza and he was trying to work out what do you mean by occupation and the journalist then wanted to quickly move on but the other point was the Gaza Strip does border another country and that is Egypt. I don't see any refugee camps in Egypt, obviously the Egyptian border and Gaza is fairly closed I mean there has been a lot of Israel have welcomed many, many of individuals living in Gaza to work in Israel. And that's been back and forward. And by doing that, Israel shows itself to be a good neighbour, as long as you don't try and kill us. That's the prerequisite, which we all have. But it seems Egypt, that border doesn't seem to be very open for work. And yet no one criticizes Egypt for having that blocked border. Yep, which just goes to show the double standard when it comes to Israel. The sole Jewish state in the world is held to a different standard than any other country. Not only is the border between Egypt and Gaza closed, but since October 7th, Egypt has reinforced this border with tanks, right? Right. I mean, the block. I mean, they have been adamant about not accepting a single Palestinian from Gaza after October 7th. Now, now think about that. In any war, Israel is at war, right? There is a full fledged war happening in Gaza. In any other war the civilian population is allowed to leave. There are refugees that are produced. This war has produced virtually no refugees. Why? It's because the Biden administration is not letting people leave. Why? Because we don't want any Palestinians displaced from this war. Oh, OK. So you just want to keep them in Gaza, right, at risk of being killed or at risk of, whether it's from Hamas or from Israel, right, at risk of starvation, at risk of losing their homes, right? You just want to keep them trapped in this war-torn region? That is cruel and inhumane. Biden gives, the U.S. provides Egypt with, I want to say, is it one and a half million? It may even be more than that. Egypt is the second largest recipient after Israel of U.S. aid. Biden could so easily pressure Egypt to open the border and say, yo, you've got to let some of these Gazans in. You're not in a very good position right now, okay? Not a word from Biden, not one word. And it's because this is all about images, the images that have to be portrayed, right? It's all about pressure on Israel. Well, if Biden really cared about the Palestinians' casualties, about the growing Palestinian casualties, then you would think that the first thing that he would do is try to get the border with Egypt opened so that Palestinians could actually leave. Biden doesn't care at all about the Palestinians, neither does Egypt, neither does UNRWA, neither does any other country, not in the Middle East, not in the West. Since, I mean, 2005 was the last time Israel were in Gaza, and then they pulled out and obviously didn't do the job of finishing off Hamas and removing that external threat they face. But since 2005 to last year, 7th of October, when the atrocity happened. Was there no, you've got a better understanding because you're aware of this space, but surely that was the time for such organizations as UNRWA, for the world community. For the EU, for the US to have conversations about what actually could happen now, supposedly, what could be the narrative, the people are now free of Israeli occupation so they can get on with actually building their country. That doesn't seem to have happened and I'm wondering how, because in one way on one side I feel sorry for those, I even hesitate to call them Palestinians because I do have a massive issue with that, but we're talking to Robert Spencer about that next week, the Palestinian delusion, but that's a whole other issue but you kind of feel sorry for the people in one way but at the same time, hey you have got a government and if you don't like the government you have to overthrow it, that's what happened under communism all across eastern Europe, that supposedly was what the Arab spring was about, overthrowing government or leadership that you don't want and bringing a new one and yet those who Palestinians living in Gaza they seem to keep this government therefore kind of that does make you responsible for the the crimes the government does upon you and the crimes that the government may do on other countries and bring it on you so I've kind of come to a position where I look at the Palestinian people differently because I think, well. You've kind of brought some of the misery upon yourself, if that's not being too cold and callous. I don't mean that, but we're all responsible for what happens in our own countries. There's a lot to unpack there. I think to a certain extent, you're right. It's hard to really know how many Gazans or even Palestinian Arabs in the West Bank support Hamas. There's been a lot of polls on this. Some people say these polls are not to be trusted. If you call up a Gazan and say, do you support Hamas? Obviously they're going to say yes. But what we do know is that they do enjoy some measurable, of some measure of of popular support. There have been some protests over the years against Hamas, that Hamas has heavily cracked down on. And I salute those Palestinian Arabs. They did that with great risk, you know, but it's nothing like Iran where you know, where you see since 2009 year after year, people rising up. The mass is really rising up and protesting against their government. It's nothing like that. And even these Palestinian Arabs in Gaza who are unhappy with Hamas, I think that not a lot of people understand that just because Palestinian Arabs support Hamas, I mean, don't support Hamas, doesn't mean they like Jews. So there can be Palestinian Arabs who are very upset with Hamas because Hamas keeps them in these horrific economic conditions. Now, actually, if you look at pictures of Gaza, they're very different than what the general media narrative is. The general media narrative is that this is a region that is the most densely populated region on earth. False. That is just the whole thing is steeped in poverty and shacks everywhere. False. there is such an incredible degree of luxury alongside poverty in Gaza because Hamas has created an incredible gap between the poor and the super rich. So there are actually, there's a whole class of Gazans that really live a life of luxury. And it really goes against this narrative of Gaza being some, you know, open air prison or what have you. But I digress. In terms of Palestinian support for Hamas, it's very, very disturbing to have seen the level of complicity in October 7th among ordinary Gazans, right? We know, like you said, there was about 20,000 Gazans that came to work in southern Israel virtually every single day, before October 7th, so much for it being a prison and blockaded, right? You have 20,000 people leaving, coming to work every day in Israel. And they were working in these kibbutzim. And these kibbutzim that were on October 7th were largely, the residents were largely left-wing peaceniks, right? They really reached out. They sent an olive branch over to Gaza. They wanted Gazans to come in and work. They thought that, you know, getting, because they would get paid a lot more in Israel, and then they'd be able to have more economic success in Gaza that would help the region grow and flourish. Well, what we have found after October 7th is that many of these workers provided, they were complicit. They provided maps to Hamas of where to attack. Not only that, we saw troves of Palestinian civilians. Barefoot and on horseback come through, break through the border on October 7th and actually carry out some of these attacks themselves, whether it was murder, whether it was taking them hostage, whether it was just coming and looting. So these Israeli residents of these kibbutzim, after October 7th, a lot of them, you've heard them discuss how they have completely changed their views. They thought that it was really just Hamas is the government and the people are different from their government, much like in Iran, where the regime is not supported by the masses and enjoys minority support among the population. And that's what people thought about Gaza. And now that has just largely been questioned. And we see that there is a level of support that maybe people weren't really prepared to admit before. And polls have shown that if there were to be an election that was held in the West Bank, I mean, one of the reasons why, you know, Mahmoud Abbas is a dictator, he hasn't held elections. He's the president of the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank, and he hasn't had elections in, what is it, 15 years now since he was elected? And one of the reasons, even though it was supposed to be a four-year term, and one of the reasons is because poll after poll shows that Hamas would win in the West Bank. So, yeah, I mean, I think that, look, it's not surprising. When you have half a million Palestinians that are indoctrinated in their schools, in their mosques, on state TV, right, in higher education, when they are indoctrinated to believe that they are perpetual victims, that Jews are evil, that they are irredeemably impure, filthy sons of apes and pigs. When you are indoctrinated to believe that Hitler was righteous, when you are indoctrinated, when the protocols of the elders of Zion and Mein Kampf are still in display cases in bookshops throughout this region. Then why wouldn't you support Hamas? I mean, these kids don't stand a chance and kids have been interviewed. There have been videos that show kids that are in UNRWA schools being interviewed and they say things like, we are taught to believe that the Jews are bad, right? I mean, it's black and white. There's no grey area here. It's very clear that there is systemic anti-Semitism, that it really has to do with Jews, not so much Israel, that this is a holy religious war, and that the issue is fundamentally not about two states, but about the Palestinian leadership's refusal to accept a non-Muslim sovereign in the region. That is what what it comes down to. Just finishing off it's obviously if any of us were overseeing the UN the first requirement for funding going in would be have a government that actually you can work with and if you have someone like Hamas you can can't give a penny, obviously there'll be massive demands for huge increases of money to go in, probably like we've seen in the crazy amount amount spent in Ukraine, I could imagine demands for that money now to be switched over to Gaza. But of course, with those refugee camps outside. If I was Nenyao, personally, I would just say, well, we're going to get buses. We're going to bring you all to your other refugee camps in Jordan, in Syria, in Lebanon. And actually, we'll turn Gaza into a nice area that actually may be a national park or something. And therefore, the people still get to live in the refugee camp in an area. But you kind of think, well, there has to be a way forward. How do you see? Because this war will come to an end. Either by the time Israel achieve its objective of destroying Hamas or by the time the world's PR machine forces Israel to stop. It'll be one or the other. And at that point, there'll have to be a conversation. What do you do with this problem that we have next door? And I don't know how you see, not that you have a crystal ball, but I don't know how you kind of see that conversation going and whether it's going to end up in a better situation than where we currently are. Right. What you're talking about is the day after, right? This is a term that a lot of people have used when talking about the Gaza war, which in my opinion is a little premature. We don't usually talk about the day after a war when we're in the middle of a war, but people seem to be obsessed with this idea that Israel is going to reoccupy Gaza and then everybody's going to be up in arms about this. But let's be clear about one thing. This is not Ukraine. This is no stalemate. OK. And if not for the Biden administration, this war would have been over weeks ago. OK. Israel has won. They've done a tremendous job. They've been incredibly successful at achieving, largely achieving their goals. Right. though they haven't retained the hostages. But Hamas is, I think, two-thirds of their military apparatus is just completely reduced to nothing. And Israel has one last stronghold, basically major stronghold, Rafah, right? And this is where a lot of the Palestinian Arabs, the Gazans, have been moved, right? And so if Israel can take out Rafah, and this is also where they believe the hostages are, where Yaha Simwar is, the head of Hamas, the war will pretty much be over. And then the process of what I call de-Hamasification, just like the de-Nazification of Germany after World War II, then needs to commence. But Biden has put a red light on Israel and is refusing to let Israel to take out Rafah, right? He doesn't want more casualties. So Biden is, with pressure from other countries, but mainly the Biden administration is prolonging this war and not letting it be won, which it could be won very swiftly. And also, let's just let's just be clear when I say Israel has been largely successful in their goals. I'm even taking into account the large number of Palestinian refugees, because even though people are going on about the fact that there have been tens of thousands of, sorry, Palestinian casualties. Did I say refugees? But people are going on about how there's been 30,000 Palestinian casualties. And that's outrageous. But actually, if you look at the casualty count in any comparable conflict in the history of modern urban warfare, the combatant to civilian ratio is unheard of. The amount of restraint and precision that Israel has exercised cannot be said of any other army in the history of warfare, okay? If you average out the general civilian to combatant ratio, it's usually about nine to one when you're dealing with modern urban warfare, meaning for every one combatant or enemy soldier, terrorist that you kill, nine civilians die. This is how it's been in past conflicts, taking out ISIS or whatever in modern warfare. Israel has managed to achieve, especially in this war, a two to one or even in some cases a one to one ratio. Because what that 30,000 casualty number doesn't tell you is that roughly half of them are Hamas fighters, right? But people, but the media loves to rely on the Palestinian health ministry, the Gaza health ministry for these numbers as if it's not completely 100% in arm of Hamas, right? Right. Like it's so insane. Like would we trust like Al Qaeda's numbers? Right. Or like ISIS's numbers. And yet everybody just accepts Hamas's numbers, even though this 30,000, this number of 30,000 does not mention any Hamas fighters. Not once have they included Hamas fighters in this number. They just say that the majority are women and children, but there have been incredible analyses done of this number that have shown how bogus and how problematic it is, even from just a statistical standpoint. But yeah, so I mean, Israel's done a tremendous job of minimizing casualties. But in terms of the day after, there really can only be one answer to this, and that is is that for some period of time, Israel needs to maintain control, security control of this region, right? After World War II, after Germany, after Nazi Germany was defeated, we did not just pull out and just like, okay, you're left to your own devices. No, there was a denazification process to reform the entire society so that the civilian population could be raised on tolerance and peace. And that is what needs to happen here. That cannot be done by the United Nations. We've already seen how corrupt UNWRA is. But even just other UN agencies cannot be, despite what everybody is saying, the UN is not equipped to be in control in Gaza. If you look at the history of UN peacekeeping missions, especially in that region, every single one has been an abysmal failure in Lebanon, in Syria, in Egypt. It's just, I mean, Eugene Kontorovich, Professor Eugene Kontorovich has documented this extensively and provided massive evidence for why this is just a recipe for disaster and for Hamas regrouping and taking power, if not, another organization that's equally as religiously, extreme and violent. So it can't be the UN. It can't be the Palestinian Authority because the Palestinian Authority is virtually the same as Hamas. The only difference is that because Israel has a presence in parts of the West Bank, the Palestinian Authority isn't able to carry out October 7th, you know, October 7th like attack, even though they have said that they would want to, even though members of Fatah and the Palestinian Authority have have praised the attacks. Members of Fatah actually participated in the attack and they have been very supportive. So, you know, and we had seen that when in 2005, when Israel pulled out and they thought that the PLO, which was the precursor to the Palestinian Authority, was going to be in charge there. Well, they didn't do a very good job because Hamas came, Hamas was elected and then they purged the strip of the, of their their Fatah rivals, and the same would happen. The PA is just, it's just an incompetent apparatus to keep that region secure. So unfortunately, although Israel doesn't want to be in control of over a million Gazans, Israel needs to maintain a presence there for security purposes and really transform that region so that something like October 7th can never happen again. Well, I'm still up for a national park there, but that's a different discussion. Karys, thank you so much for coming on. Fascinating, that whole understanding of UNRWA, of that refugee situation, which is probably an eye-opener to many of our viewers and fits perfectly into the current situation that we find in Israel. So thank you so much for your time today. Thank you so much for having me. It's been great.

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

Host Jamie McGoldrick speaks with Filippo Grandi, UN High Commissioner for Refugees. They start by discussing the situation in Gaza, with Jamie asking what is needed to help resolve the crisis there. The conversation touches on international and humanitarian law and the importance of upholding those principles. Jamie asks Grandi if he's worried about humanitarians losing their relevance as more crises and conflicts appear around the world. The two talk about migration and refugees and what improvements can be made on those issues. Fillipo also brings up COP 28, which is currently underway, and the Global Refugee Forum which takes place December 13th to 15th.

Volker Türk, the United Nations' High Commissioner for Human Rights, says a political space needs to be created to allow a path out of the horror that is Gaza. Türk condemned the widespread targeting of civilians in the past five weeks and urged accountability for gross rights violations.

#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.

Travel documents play an important role in international mobility, and for refugees serve as an essential gateway to a world of opportunities, from pursuing education and employment to reuniting with family. In this episode, MPI's Susan Fratzke unpacks the complexities around travel documents and their pivotal role in refugees' livelihoods with Adhieu Achuil Kueth, founder of MonyQadow, and Jackie Keegan, deputy director of the Division of International Protection for Resettlement and Complementary Pathways at the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). Kueth shares her first-hand experience traveling on a refugee travel document and her commitment to aiding fellow refugees in accessing higher education opportunities. Keegan sheds light on the challenges refugees face in obtaining these essential documents. Tune in to learn more.

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