As climate change threatens island nations, some turn to digitizing their history - Ali Rogin (PBS News, 2024)
As hurricanes grow stronger and more common due to climate change, they raise new threats for island nations — not just to infrastructure, but also to artifacts and documents that help define cultures. Now, two island nations in the Atlantic and the Pacific are taking steps to preserve their threatened histories for future generations.
Worldwide

Meet Mercy and Anita – the African workers driving the AI revolution, for just over a dollar an hour - James Muldoon; Mark Graham Callum Cant (The Observer, 2024)
Social media content and AI training data are processed in outsource centres in the global south, where long hours, low pay and exposure to disturbing material are the norm
Africa
Keywords: Artificial intelligence (AI); ChatGPT; Chatbots; Computing; Facebook; Meta; Self-driving cars; Technology

Call for Book Proposals: Palgrave Studies in Queer Literary, Visual and Material Cultures - Cheryl Oestreicher (Publishing in the Archives Profession, 2024)
Palgrave Studies in Queer Literary, Visual and Material Cultures tests, contests and expands the boundaries of queer studies in global and transnational contexts and across historical periods. We welcome titles that bring “queer” cultures and sexualities into conversation with related areas of enquiry, especially critical race theory, trans studies, disability studies, feminist theory, eco-criticism, post-colonial theory, and Marxist theory.
Worldwide

Residential school denialism is an attack on the truth - Fraser, Crystal Gail (The Conversation, 2024)
Although there is now a wide body of public information about residential schools, many people continue to have limited knowledge about them. That provides fertile ground for misinformation.
Canada

NYPD Restores Thousands of Missing Records but Removes Case Numbers From Its Discipline Database - Hernandez, Sergio (ProPublica, 2024)
The department restored more than 2,000 missing discipline records to its public database of uniformed officers, weeks after ProPublica revealed data reliability issues. But it also removed case numbers, making future oversight more difficult.
United States of America

Brazil Prevents Meta from Using People to Power Its AI - Hye Jung Han (Human Rights Watch, 2024)
Brazil’s National Data Protection Authority issued a preliminary ban on Meta's use of personal data of users based in Brazil to train its artificial intelligence (AI) systems.
Brazil

From Yosemite to Bears Ears, Erasing Native Americans From U.S. National Parks - Oatman-Stanford, Hunter (Pocket, 2024)
The foundational myth of America’s National Parks is one of heroic preservation of “pristine wilderness” — but places like Yosemite were already home to thriving communities that cherished the environment around them.
United States of America

Germany admits to genocide for the first time in 120 years - Petersen, Shelleygan (The Namibian, 2024)
The German government has for the first time in 120 years admitted that the 1904-1908 massacre that killed more than 60 000 Nama and Herero people should be classified as a genocide.
Namibia
Keywords: Germany

Deepening the data on refugees’ health needs: WHO in Poland pioneers a methodology with far-reaching potential - World Health Organization (World Health Organization News, 2024)
Statistics Poland and WHO have teamed up to explore ways to tackle data limitations in the context of the Ukrainian refugee crisis. In 2022 they conducted the first study to cover a representative sample of Ukrainian refugees in Poland, using mixed methods to unveil not just the numbers but also the human narratives behind the refugee crisis.
Poland

How Sudan's diaspora use WhatsApp voice notes as a collective war archive - AlHadidi, Janine (The New Arab, 2024)
Sudanese families are using WhatsApp voice notes to record their experiences of conflict, coordinate evacuation efforts and keep in touch with family around the world. The collective archive represented by the voice notes offers an opportunity to share Sudanese narratives about conflict, personal histories and culture with the rest of the world.
Sudan

Indian Temples Are Scanning Visitors’ Faces - Bhandari, Bibek (Foreign Policy, 2024)
Data privacy advocates fear a testing ground for mass religious surveillance.
India

The Israeli army’s use of Palestinian civilians as human shields has been documented on a large scale - Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor (Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor, 2024)
Video footage released by Al Jazeera TV shows the Israeli army using detained Palestinian civilians as human shields and compelling them to enter dangerous combat zones—evidence of a systematic tactic of the army. There are numerous documented instances of civilians being used as human shields by Israeli forces, which is considered a war crime.
Palestine (Permanent Observer to the UN)

Call for proposals | CFP: Treinta y tres (Latinx Oral Histories) - Oestreicher, Cheryl (Publishing in the Archives Profession, 2024)
The Center for Latino and Latin American Studies at Northern Illinois University invites you to submit proposals for its sixth annual interdisciplinary conference, Treinta y tres, to be held on November 21-22, 2024.
Central America

Pictures and the Past. Media, Memory, and the Specter of Fascism in Postmodern Art - Bigman, Alexander (The University of Chicago Press, 2024)
A fresh take on the group of artists known as the Pictures Generation, reinterpreting their work as haunted by the history of fascism, the threat of its return, and the effects of its recurring representation in postwar American culture.
United States of America

News from the ICA Section on Archives and Human Rights - 2024-07 (July) - SAHR Newsletter Woking Group (ICA, 2024)

China tightens law on handling disasters including information flows - Ethan Wang; Liz Lee (Reuters, 2024)
Legal revisions aim to "improve the ability for emergency prevention and response" and refine how information is disseminated about natural disasters, accidents and public health emergencies.
China

Uncovered: 428-year-old secret dossier reveals Elizabeth I’s network of spies - Ferguson, Donna (The Observer, 2024)
A list compiled by spymaster Robert Cecil gives an insight into the beginnings of the secret service.
United Kingdom
Keywords: England; Espionage; UK news

Great science, uncomfortable history: Sir Gustav Nossal and the long tail of eugenics - Shepherd, Tory (The Guardian, 2024)
Book says one of Australia’s most eminent scientists promoted discussion of eugenics in the 1960s and 70s, but not that he supported racist ideas – and researchers praise his thorough commitment to reconciliation and racial justice.
Australia
Keywords: Australia news; Australian universities; Biology; Genetics; Indigenous Australians; Indigenous peoples; Melbourne; Race; Science

Witnesses Describe Police Killing Protesters - Human Rights Watch (Human Rights Watch, 2024)
Kenyan security forces shot directly into crowds of protesters on June 25, 2024, including protesters who were fleeing.
Kenya

Sierra Leone Acts to Ban Child Marriage - Kabari, Betty (Human Rights Watch, 2024)
Last week, Sierra Leone’s parliament enacted landmark legislation to ban child marriage. The Prohibition of Child Marriage Bill 2024, which makes marriage for anyone under 18 a criminal offense, seeks to protect girls from a harmful practice that has long violated their rights and hindered their development.
Sierra Leone

US charges Russian with conspiring to destroy Kyiv computer systems - Karen Middleton (The Guardian, 2024)
A Russian has been charged with conspiring to hack and destroy computer systems and data in Ukraine and allied countries including the US.
Russian Federation
Keywords: Russia; Ukraine

Stella Assange urges journalists to FOI the US government to get case details - Middleton, Karen (The Guardian, 2024)
Stella Assange says it’s now up to others to dig out information after ban imposed on WikiLeaks founder
United States of America
Keywords: Australia news; Julian Assange; Media; US news; WikiLeaks

President Biden pardons veterans convicted under regulation used to keep LGBTQ members from serving - Wang, Selina; Martinez, Luis; Haslett (ABC News, 2024)
President Biden has pardoned veterans who were convicted by the military under a regulation that allowed people to be kicked out for being gay.
United States of America

Analysis Reveals Damage and Destruction of Cultural Heritage Sites in Gaza - Bellingcat Investigation Team (bellingcat, 2024)
The conflict in Gaza has taken an immense human toll – but it has also come at a significant cultural cost.
Palestine (Permanent Observer to the UN)

Privacy Technologies and Policy - Rainnenberg, Kai; Drogkaris, Prokopios; Lauradoux, Cédric (Springer, 2024)
The conference proceedings APF 2023 focuses on the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), Security and Privacy and much more.
Worldwide

Algorithms should not control what people see, UN chief says, launching Global Principles for Information Integrity - UN News (UN News, 2024)
The United Nations launched new Global Principles for Information Integrity on Monday, emphasizing the need for immediate action to address the harms caused by misinformation, disinformation and hate speech.
Worldwide

New Mass Media Law Threatens Freedom of Speech, Information in Kazakhstan - Hugh Williamson (Human Rights Watch, 2024)
Although Kazakhstan’s new mass media law has some amendments that should improve the status quo, its ambiguity and the restrictive nature of other provisions threaten to create obstacles to the work of local and foreign journalists.
Kazakhstan

UK government weighs action against Russian hackers over NHS records theft - Campbell, Denis; Milmo, Dan (The Guardian, 2024)
National Crime Agency may take retaliatory measures after Qilin gang steals data covering 300m patient interactions.
United Kingdom
Keywords: Cybercrime; England; Hacking; Health; NHS; Russia; Society; Technology; UK news; World news

ICC unseals arrest warrant against Iyad Ag Ghaly - International Criminal Court (ICC) (International Criminal Court News, 2024)
Today, 21 June 2024, Pre-Trial Chamber I of the International Criminal Court (“ICC” or “the Court”), at the request of the Prosecutor, made public an arrest warrant against Iyad Ag Ghaly for war crimes and crimes against humanity allegedly committed in northern Mali between January 2012 and January 2013. The arrest warrant was initially issued under seal on 18 July 2017. Mr Ghaly is not detained by the ICC.
Mali

All the places where it's illegal to be LGBTQ+ – and why it's colonialism's fault - Kelleher, Patrick (PinkNews, 2024)
We take a look at all the countries and territories where it is still illegal to be gay or LGBTQ+ – and examine the role colonialism played.
Worldwide

Increased Attacks on Education During War | Human Rights Watch - Neff, Zama (Human Rights Watch, 2024)
Attacks on education and military use of schools during armed conflict rose by an alarming 20 percent in 2022 and 2023 compared with the previous two years, according to a new report by the Global Coalition to Protect Education from Attack (GCPEA).
Worldwide

Concern over Indigenous identity fraud heightened by government definitions: minister - Passafiume, Alessia (CTVNews, 2024)
The Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations says a lot of talk about the issue of so-called Indigenous identity fraud is based around apprehensions people have about the government defining who is – and who isn't – a rights-holder.
Canada

Barrick Gold calls United Nations human rights abuses 'unsubstantiated' - Surran, Carl (Seeking Alpha, 2024)
Barrick Gold disputes UN allegations of human rights violations at its North Mara mine in Tanzania, calling them misconceptions and inaccuracies.
Tanzania, United Republic of

Smithsonian Museum Debuts Online Portal of Slavery Artifacts - Article, Adam Schrader ShareShare This (Artnet News, 2024)
The Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture has launched an online portal featuring 146 slave badges from Charleston, South Carolina, that it acquired in 2022.
United States of America

Deluge of ‘pink slime’ websites threaten to drown out truth with fake news in US election - Berger, Eric (The Guardian, 2024)
US sites pushing misinformation are proliferating, aiming to look like reliable sources as local newspapers close down.
United States of America
Keywords: Democrats; Media; Newspapers; Newspapers & magazines; Republicans; US elections 2024; US news; US politics

Forced Russified Education Under Occupation - Human Rights Watch (Human Rights Watch, 2024)
Russian authorities are suppressing the Ukrainian language and curriculum, imposing the Russian curriculum, anti-Ukrainian propaganda, and Russian as the language of instruction in schools in areas of Ukraine that Russia is occupying,
Ukraine

Forced Russified Education Under Occupation - Human Rights Watch (Human Rights Watch, 2024)
Russian authorities are suppressing the Ukrainian language and curriculum, imposing the Russian curriculum, anti-Ukrainian propaganda, and Russian as the language of instruction in schools in areas of Ukraine that Russia is occupying,
Russian Federation

How Taiwan fights the disinformation war - Huynh Tam Sang; Tong Thai Thien; Le Thi Yen Nhi (The Interpreter, 2024)
Newly inaugurated president Lai Ching-te will need to collaborate inside and outside the state to counter China’s cognitive warfare.
East Asia

Burkina Faso Junta Again Suspends TV News Broadcasts - Ilaria Allegrozzi (Human Rights Watch, 2024)
The decision by Burkina Faso's media regulatory body to suspend broadcasts of the French news network TV5 is the latest attempt to crack down on independent media and access to information in the West African country.
Burkina Faso

How data shapes political narratives amid the 2024 super-elections - Rafaela Landikusic (Global Voices, 2024)
The age of data might seem like a modern concept, but the notion of using information for political advantage has a long history.
Worldwide

UN chief warns of ‘cyber mercenaries’ amid spike in weaponising digital tools - UN News (UN News, 2024)
UN Secretary-General António Guterres on Thursday highlighted the dual-edged nature of cyberspace, stressing its potential for both immense benefits and significant risks when misused. |
Worldwide

U.S. and Colombia Should Purge False Information on NGOs from Intelligence Archives - Washington Office on Latin America (WOLA, 2024)
Washington Office on Latin America (WOLA) calls upon the Colombian president and the U.S. president to review and purge intelligence archives containing false information that could cause security problems and other consequences. The statement refers to the impact false information has had on the lives of Colombians.
Colombia

Almost forgotten: the fate of lesbian women in Austria - Arolsen Archives - Arolsen Archives (Arolsen Archives, 2024)
Until 1971, homosexuality was strictly forbidden in Austria. For almost 120 years, not only men but also women were charged and convicted of “unnatural same-sex fornication”. During the Nazi era and shortly afterwards, their numbers were particularly high, as research in recent years has shown.
Austria

Paying reparations for slavery is possible – based on a study of federal compensation to farmers, fishermen, coal miners, radiation victims and 70 other groups - Brooks, Cornell William; Bilmes, Linda J. (The Conversation, 2024)
Since the 1930s, the US federal government has made payments to victims of financial hardships and social injustices. But for those suffering from the harms of slavery, the US remains silent.
United States of America

Russia denial of access to archives on Soviet political repression violates freedom of expression - Emma Burns (JURISTnews, 2024)
The European Court of Human Rights ruled on Tuesday that Russia had violated the right to freedom of expression by refusing access to archival documents about the history of Soviet political repression.
Europe

Freedom of association is a human right. Why are garment workers still denied it? - Webb, Bella (Vogue Business, 2024)
A new report from the Business & Human Rights Resource Centre reveals a concerning trend of suppliers undermining trade unions and blocking meaningful dialogue with workers. Experts say it’s time for brands to step up.
Worldwide

European Court of Human Rights: Win for the right to truth about human rights atrocities - ARTICLE 19 (ARTICLE 19, 2024)
The Court found that the Russian government’s restrictions on accessing archival documents and information violated individuals’ and researchers’ rights to freedom of expression and access to information. This decision is important in cementing recognition that access to information encompasses the right of relatives of victims of gross human rights violations and researchers to access historical archives about past atrocities.
Europe

China has renamed hundreds of Uyghur villages and towns, say human rights groups - Davidson, Helen (The Guardian, 2024)
Report finds that religious, historical and cultural references have been removed by Beijing.
China
Keywords: Asia Pacific; China; Human rights; Islam; Law; Religion; Uyghurs; World news; Xinjiang

In Iraq, a New Tool Helps Forensic Doctors Document Sexual Violence and Torture - Haddad, Maram (Physicians for Human Rights, 2024)
Physicians for Human Rights (PHR) in partnership with medical-legal professionals in Iraq have developed a new forensic medical form. The new tool is expected to standardize survivor-centered documentation and improve access to justice.
Iraq

International Criminal Court Members Speak Out - Vignoli, Maria Elena (Human Rights Watch, 2024)
Ninety-three member countries of the International Criminal Court (ICC) have declared their “unwavering support” for the court in the face of recent threats.
Worldwide

A Notorious Photograph From a US Massacre in the Philippines Reveals an Ugly Truth - Wagner, Kim A (New Lines Magazine, 2024)
A shocking image of the atrocity by the American military at Bud Dajo in 1906 survived but failed to become a humanitarian touchstone
United States of America

A Notorious Photograph From a US Massacre in the Philippines Reveals an Ugly Truth - Wagner, Kim A (New Lines Magazine, 2024)
A shocking image of the atrocity by the American military at Bud Dajo in 1906 survived but failed to become a humanitarian touchstone
Philippines

Gender apartheid must be recognized as a crime under international law - Amnesty International (Amnesty International, 2024)
Gender apartheid must be recognized as a crime under international law in order to strengthen efforts to combat institutionalized regimes of systematic oppression and domination imposed on the grounds of gender, said Amnesty International.
Worldwide

22 Ida B. Wells Quotes About Injustice, Truth and Virtue - Beck, Laura (Parade, 2024)
Ida B. Wells was a remarkable human: a groundbreaking African American journalist, civil rights leader and anti-lynching activist. Born into slavery in Holly Springs, Mississippi in 1862 (just before the Emancipation Proclamation), Wells went on to dedicate her life to passionately campaigning against lynching and fighting for racial justice. It's no wonder there are so many powerful Ida B. Wells quotes to share.
United States of America

This story of '60s Catholic social justice still has power decades later - Arellno, Gustavo (National Catholic Reporter, 2024)
When I served as dramaturg for the Los Angeles-based Center Theatre Group's reading of "The Trial of the Catonsville Nine" by Fr. Daniel Berrigan, I didn't expect how profound the experience would be for my Catholicism.
United States of America

Oklahoma court dismisses bid for Tulsa Race Massacre reparations - Cabral, Sam (BBC News, 2024)
Some 300 black people were killed in the 1921 massacre - but nobody has been held responsible. Survivors of one of the biggest race massacres in US history have consequently lost their historic legal bid for reparations over the attack.
United States of America

A battle against disinformation was won - Gotev, Georgi (Euractiv, 2024)
We may like or dislike the results of the European elections, but we can safely say that no major incidents involving propaganda and disinformation took place in the days of 6-9 June, which amounts to a victory for those who are busy countering this threat.
Europe

The Power of the Image: Preserving UNRWA’s Past and Present for the Future - Jonathan Fowler (UNRWA Newsroom, 2024)
As the war in Gaza rages, causing unprecedented death and destruction, telling its story is a moral imperative. Preserving images from Gaza matters more than ever. Not just to document the spiraling humanitarian tragedy right now but also to preserve it for posterity.
Western Asia

Philadelphia’s 200-year-old disability records show welfare reform movement’s early shift toward rationing care and punishing poor people - Schroeder, Nicole Lee (The Conversation, 2024)
Amid rising unemployment, inflation and poverty in the 1830s, Philadelphia taxpayers believed welfare scammers were bleeding coffers dry. Poor lists from 1829 show they were wrong.
United States of America

Unrecognized in California: Federal Acknowledgment and the San Luis Rey Band of Mission Indians - Chilcote, Olivia (University of Washington Press, 2024)
An inside account of one Luiseño tribe's history and their efforts to be recognized by the United States. In Unrecognized in California, Olivia M. Chilcote, member of the San Luis Rey Band of Mission Indians of San Diego County, demonstrates how the state's colonial history is foundational to the ongoing crisis over tribal legal status.
United States of America

Ancient farming system and campesino livelihoods at risk in Mexico City - Gabay, Aimee (Mongabay Environmental News, 2024)
XOCHIMILCO, Mexico — In the 70 years Miguel del Valle has worked on his family’s chinampa in Xochimilco, a neighborhood in the south of Mexico City, he has witnessed a huge change in the environment and the attitudes of his neighbors. “Xochimilco was always famous for its vegetables and flowers,” the 80-year-old farmer.
Mexico

Reflecting on Ten Years of HDX - HDX Team (The Centre for Humanitarian Data, 2024)
HDX is an integral platform for the humanitarian data community: 206 organizations are sharing over 20,000 datasets, covering every active humanitarian crisis, with users in 230 countries and territories.
Worldwide

A conversation with Elyse Semerdjian, author of "Remnants: Embodied Archives of the Armenian Genocide" - Torosyan, Lilly (The Armenian Weekly, 2024)
“This photograph was never meant to be a precious artifact.” That is the first line in historian Elyse Semerdjian’s Remnants: Embodied Archives of the Armenian Genocide, a 300-page ground-breaking, corpse-gathering mission to re-member the dis-membered.
Armenia

Social media companies’ removal of abortion-related content may hinder access to accurate health information - Amnesty International (Amnesty International, 2024)
Removal of abortion-related content on social media platforms with inadequate or unclear justification can contribute to the increasing challenges in accessing abortion care and threatens the right to health and bodily autonomy, according to a new briefing from Amnesty International. In Obstacles to Autonomy: Post-Roe Removal of Abortion Information Online, Amnesty International reveals that social […]
United States of America

ICC Prosecutor appeals for evidence of Darfur atrocities - UN News (UN News, 2024)
The Prosecutor at the International Criminal Court (ICC) launched a campaign on Tuesday to address the unfolding crisis in the Darfur region of Sudan, amid the going war between rival military forces that erupted last April.
Sudan

UN war crimes tribunals move closer to completion - UN News (UN News, 2024)
All of the 253 people indicted by UN tribunals for war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide committed decades ago in Rwanda and the Former Yugoslavia, have now been accounted for, the Security Council heard on Tuesday. |
Worldwide

Children’s Personal Photos Misused to Power AI Tools - Human Rights Watch (Human Rights Watch, 2024)
The personal photos of Brazilian children are being used to create powerful artificial intelligence (AI) tools without the children’s knowledge or consent.
Brazil

Girls failed by authorities after escaping Boko Haram captivity - Amnesty International (Amnesty International, 2024)
Girls and young women who escaped Boko Haram captivity in north-east Nigeria faced further suffering, including sometimes in unlawful military detention, and are now receiving inadequate support as they attempt to rebuild their lives, Amnesty International said in a new report. ‘Help us build our lives’: Girl survivors of Boko Haram and military abuses in […]
Nigeria

‘Comfort women’ or sex slaves? Why the debate over this WWII term remains so complicated - Gao, Ming (The Conversation, 2024)
Many victim-survivors and scholars say ‘sex slaves’ more accurately describes the abuses the women endured, but governments have been slow to change their view.
Republic of Korea

Nation’s First Online Boarding School Records Repository Launched by NABS - Kunze, Jenna (Native News Online, 2024)
The Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition (NABS) has launched the nation’s first online records repository and research tool for Indian boarding school records. The database, called The National Indian Boarding School Digital Archive (NIBSDA), was nearly five years in the making, and contains records collected from National Archives in Seattle and Kansas City, Mo. Those records contain case files, administrative records, enrollment registers, and health information about Native American students who attended Indian boarding schools operated by the federal government for more than a century.
United States of America

Turkey rejects claim Lord Elgin had permission to take Parthenon marbles - Smith, Helena (The Guardian, 2024)
Official says no sign of permit in Ottoman archives, in blow to British Museum, which defends legal right to statuary
Europe
Keywords: Art and design; British Museum; Culture; Europe; Greece; Heritage; Parthenon marbles; Sculpture; Turkey; UK news; World news

Chang orders review of rules on release of information on sex offenders - The Gleaner (The Gleaner, 2024)
The National Security Ministry's legal team is reviewing existing legislation to determine whether it allows for wider sharing of information on convicted sex offenders.
Jamaica

Coming clean? EU cleaning industry exploitation exposed - EUobserver (EUobserver, 2024)
The cleaning industry across Europe is increasingly under scrutiny for its treatment of employees and disregard for the European standard of fair labour laws. A six-month-long investigation into the European cleaning industry shed light on a complex network across Europe and exploitative business practices.
Europe

Google to start permanently deleting users’ location history - Hern, Alex (The Guardian, 2024)
Tech firm earlier committed to storing less data about individuals in response to privacy concerns
Worldwide
Keywords: Abortion; Alphabet; Data protection; Google; Privacy; Roe v Wade; Technology; US news; World news

Stunning map shows the extent of Native Title control in Australia - Southwell, David (Mail Online, 2024)
Native Title, a legal recognition of Aboriginal rights over an area, is set to cover 60 per cent of Australia's landmass in the next 15 years.
Australia

London NHS hospitals revert to paper records after cyber-attack - Campbell, Denis; Milmo, Dan (The Guardian, 2024)
Disruption has affected wider range of health providers than first thought, including GPs and community and mental health services
United Kingdom
Keywords: Cybercrime; Hacking; Health; NHS; UK news

From beef noodles to bots: Taiwan’s factcheckers on fighting Chinese disinformation and ‘unstoppable’ AI - Chan, Elaine (The Guardian, 2024)
Taiwan is the target of more disinformation from abroad than any other democracy.
East Asia
Keywords: Artificial intelligence (AI); Asia Pacific; China; Taiwan; Technology; World news

Israel’s National Archives Releases 10,000 Files of City Census by Jerusalem’s Civil Guard - Julian, Hana Levi (Jewish Press, 2024)
The Israel State Archives – a unit within the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) – is for the first time revealing to the general public 10,189 population files of Jerusalem residents from 1948, which were collected by the “People’s Guard’ in Jerusalem during the War of Independence.
Israel

New UNICEF report reveals severe child food poverty amid world crises - UN News (UN News, 2024)
The UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) released a new report that highlights alarming levels of child food poverty due to inequity, conflict, and climate crises. |
Worldwide

Stories from the UN Archive: BBC legend and UN Earth Champion - UN News (UN News, 2024)
As communities across the planet celebrated World Environment Day on 5 June, we are taking you back to the 1950s when broadcaster extraordinaire Sir David Attenborough went from zoologist to climate activist, winning the UN’s highest environmental award. |
Worldwide

Explosive Weapons Pose Threats to Cultural Heritage: States Have a Tool to Protect It - Docherty, Bonnie (Human Rights Watch, 2024)
In early May 2022, Russian forces fired a munition that struck a museum complex including the final home of the 18th-century Ukrainian philosopher and poet Hryhorii Skovoroda. The attack sparked a fire that raged for nearly nine hours. By the time the blaze was extinguished, almost all that remained were scorched walls and a pockmarked statue of the national figure.
Worldwide

Saving Houston’s LGBTQ history through thousands of hours of radio archives - Ulaby, Neda (NPR, 2024)
Archivists at the University of Houston have saved decades-worth of episodes of local LGBT radio shows that started in the 1970s. Together they tell the story of a complex, diverse community.
United States of America

Russians target Ukrainian publishing industry, libraries, books, archives - Vorozhko, Tatiana; Matviichuk, Iryna (Voice of America, 2024)
Largest printing house in Ukraine, hit by a missile strike on May 23, was the third publishing house attacked by Russia in Kharkiv, strengthening Ukrainian authorities and experts’ beliefs that Russia is intentionally trying to destroy Ukrainian cultural identity.
Ukraine

Queer Legends: An Oral History Podcast - Dearn, Shawn (Listen Notes, 2024)
Discover the true story of Canada's LGBT Purge in a landmark, eight part documentary series. This is the first documentary to examine the full extent of Canada's anti-homosexual campaigns using newly declassified documents released by the LGBT Purge Fund. From ridiculous to shocking, you'll hear amazing true stories from courageous survivors; academics; researchers; former MPs, cabinet ministers and a retired Chief of Defence Staff.
Canada

News from the ICA Section on Archives and Human Rights - 2024-06 (June) - SAHR Newsletter Woking Group (ICA, 2024)

Donald Trump found guilty of hush-money plot to influence 2016 election - Lowell, Hugo; Bekiempis, Victoria (The Guardian, 2024)
Former president calls verdict ‘a disgrace’ after being convicted in New York on all 34 counts of falsifying business records
United States of America
Keywords: Donald Trump; Donald Trump trials; Michael Cohen; New York; Republicans; Stormy Daniels; US crime; US elections 2016; US news; US politics; World news

Indian boarding home settlement approved by federal court - Needham, Fraser (APTN News, 2024)
The Indian boarding home class action settlement was officially approved by a Federal Court justice.
Canada

Hong Kong court finds 14 democracy campaigners guilty of subversion - News Wire (France 24, 2024)
A Hong Kong court found 14 people guilty of subversion on Thursday in the biggest case against pro-democracy campaigners since China imposed a national security law to crush dissent.
China

Executions soar to highest number in almost a decade - Amnesty International (Amnesty International, 2024)
2023 saw a sharp rise in executions across the Middle East.
Worldwide

‘Silent witnesses to the past’ – Ireland helping to protect Ukraine from Russian ‘memory war’ on archives - Ralph Riegel (Irish Independent, 2024)
An Irish university is now playing a key role in helping Ukraine avoid irreparable losses in Russia's so-called 'memory war'.
Ireland

Belarus: Crackdown on Human Rights Lawyers | Human Rights Watch - Human Rights Watch (2024)
Belarusian authorities have unrolled systematic and widespread repression targeting lawyers who represent clients in politically motivated cases or who shed light on rights abuses, Human Rights Watch, the Belarusian Association of Human Rights Lawyers, and the Right to Defence Project said in a report released today.
Belarus

Grindr accused of treating gay man’s medical data like ‘piece of meat’ - Booth, Robert (The Guardian, 2024)
Civil lawsuit against dating company alleges misuse of users’ private information, including HIV status
United Kingdom
Keywords: UK news

How Church of England’s ties to chattel slavery went to top of hierarchy - Baptiste, Desirée; Ungoed-Thomas, Jon (The Observer, 2024)
Lambeth Palace documents show purchase of enslaved people in 18th century approved by Anglican archbishop
United Kingdom
Keywords: Americas; Anglicanism; Barbados; Christianity; Justin Welby; Religion; Slavery; UK news; World news

Israel must comply with ICJ order to immediately halt military operations in Rafah - Amnesty International (Amnesty International, 2024)
The Israeli authorities must completely halt military operations in Rafah, as any ongoing military action could constitute an underlying act of genocide.
Isreal

Libya: Arbitrarily Detained Political Analyst Dies | Human Rights Watch - Human Rights Watcg (2024)
A Libyan political analyst who had been arbitrarily detained in eastern Libya for nearly seven months died under dubious circumstances on April 19, 2024.
Libya

‘Black Twitter’ documentary explores its history and cultural impact - Amna Nawaz (PBS News Hour, 2024)
In its early days, "Black Twitter'' became a driving force in defining pop culture, creating trending hashtags, unforgettable memes and sparking social justice movements.
Worldwide

National Records of Scotland data published in NHS cyber attack - BBC (BBC, 2024)
National Records of Scotland (NRS) data was accessed and published by hackers who breached the systems of NHS Dumfries and Galloway in March of this year. The patient data, used for identification and service accuracy, has been published on the dark web.
United Kingdom

'It's a privilege' - Brennan, Dechlan (National Indigenous Times, 2024)
Meet one of the commissioners responsible for helping document the "real" history of Victoria
Australia

Passports, criminal records leaked in EU Parliament data breach - Tar, Julia (Euractiv, 2024)
Identity cards, passports, excerpts of criminal records, and work experience documents were among the personal data of European Parliament employees compromised in a data breach.
European Union

Newsmax accused of deleting evidence that it was spreading 2020 election lies - Levine, Sam (The Guardian, 2024)
In lawsuit, voting machine firm Smartmatic alleges the outlet destroyed documents that were ‘direct evidence of actual malice’
United States of America
Keywords: Defamation law; Law; Media; Newspapers & magazines; US elections 2020; US news; US politics

Holocaust Death Toll on English Channel Island Is Raised by Hundreds - Moses, Claire (The New York Times, 2024)
A panel of academics said it found more conclusive evidence of how many people were killed during the Nazi occupation of Alderney, one of the Channel Islands in British territory.
United Kingdom
Keywords: Alderney Island; Channel Islands; Concentration Camps; Deaths (Fatalities); English Channel; Forced Labor; Great Britain; History (Academic Subject); Holocaust and the Nazi Era; World War II (1939-45)

New technology and AI used at borders increases inequalities and undermines human rights of migrants - Amnesty International (Amnesty International, 2024)
Global: New technology and AI used at borders increases inequalities and undermines human rights of migrants
Worldwide

Exhibit explores experiences of humans put on display at 1904 World’s Fair in St. Louis - Gabrielle Hays (PBS NewsHour, 2024)
In 1904, nearly 1,200 Filipinos were brought to the U.S. to take part in the World’s Fair in St. Louis. Some worked as guides, but others were put on display. More than a century later, a new exhibit explores the impact in St. Louis and beyond. Communities correspondent Gabrielle Hays reports.
United States of America

A new Texas landmark highlights a chapter in US history that’s often overlooked - Schoichet, Catherine (CNN, 2024)
Some of Sebastian Corral’s memories have faded. But the 91-year-old remembers his 1953 arrival in the US as if it were yesterday. He is one of the last surviving participants in a US program some described as ‘legalized slavery’
United States of America

A century ago, anti-immigrant backlash almost closed America’s doors - Smith, Matthew (The Conversation, 2024)
May 2024 marks the 100th anniversary of the Immigration Act of 1924, which sharply cut the number of people allowed into the US.
United States of America

‘One hell of a storm is coming’: Canadian graphic novel about Indigenous identity sparks outrage - Cecco, Leyland (the Guardian, 2024)
A graphic novel investigating Indigenous identity in Canada has prompted outrage from Métis groups, who say the book undermines their history and represents an attack on their sovereignty.
Canada

Assassination attempt on Gotabaya: Confession by main accused missing, High Court told - Padmasiri, Ranjith (The Sunday Times, 2024)
The log book containing the confession of a suspect in the case filed over the assassination attempt on then Defence Ministry Secretary, Gotabaya Rajapaksa, has gone missing at the police archives.
Sri Lanka

South African communities vs Shell: high court victories show that cultural beliefs and practices count in climate cases - Soyapi, Brewsters Caiphas; Kotzé, Louis; Toit, Louise Du (The Conversation, 2024)
Indigenous people’s concerns and considerations could provide a strong basis for climate litigation in South Africa.
South Africa

New evidence shows atrocities committed by army in Burkina Faso - France 24 (France 24, 2024)
New documents verified by FRANCE 24 illustrate the scale of the atrocities committed by the Burkina Faso army on February 25, 2024. In April, the NGO Human Rights Watch reported the massacre of 223 civilians,…
Burkina Faso

Ukraine crisis reaches new terrifying level as civilians face daily drone and ‘glide bomb’ attacks | | UN News - UN News (2024)
Daily attacks by the Russian military in Ukraine have damaged dozens of towns and villages in the south and east of the country but also in central areas - including the city of Dnipro, which was shelled again early this Friday, UN humanitarians said.
Ukriane

Repressive crackdown on Tunisian CSOs following months of escalating violence against migrants and refugees - Amnesty International (Amnesty International, 2024)
Tunisia’s authorities must immediately end this vicious campaign and halt all reprisals against NGO workers providing essential support, including shelter, to migrants and refugees.
Tunisia
Keywords: Freedom of Movement

Biden asserts executive privilege to block release of special counsel interviews - Pengelly, Martin (The Guardian, 2024)
House Republicans seek recordings of classified documents case interviews, in what Democrats call a ‘purely political’ move
United States of America
Keywords: House of Representatives; Joe Biden; Republicans; US Congress; US news; US politics

Gambia: Landmark Swiss Conviction of Ex-Official | Human Rights Watch - Human Rights Watch (2024)
A Swiss court’s conviction of the former Gambian Interior Minister Ousman Sonko for crimes against humanity is monumental for Gambian victims of atrocity crimes during the rule of Yahya Jammeh. The verdict is a major achievement for Switzerland’s efforts to hold accountable those responsible for grave crimes committed abroad.
The Gambia

Three killed as New Caledonia rocked by riots over voting change - Mannevy, Charlotte; RFI; AFP (RFI, 2024)
Three people have been killed in New Caledonia during rioting that broke out after France's National Assembly approved changes to voting rules. Many injuries were reported in the worst unrest the Pacific island has seen since the 1980s.
France

Georgia: Dark day as parliament bulldozes adoption of repressive “foreign influence” bill - Amnesty International (Amnesty International, 2024)
This damaging bill contravenes Georgia’s international obligations on the rights to freedom of expression and association and strikes at the heart of the civil society’s ability to operate freely and effectively
Georgia

‘Instead of a scream’: the Palestinian artist who does a Gaza drawing every day - Baroud, Maisara (The Guardian, 2024)
His studio was flattened, he has had to move his family 10 times, and they now share a house with 25 others. But still Maisara Baroud finds a way to document the fear and destruction he sees all around
Palestine (Permanent Observer to the UN)
Keywords: Art; Art and design; Culture; Drawing; Gaza; Israel-Gaza war; Middle East and north Africa; Palestinian territories; World news

Former army lawyer sentenced to five years for stealing and leaking Afghanistan war documents - Canales, Sarah Basford (The Guardian, 2024)
McBride, who pleaded guilty to stealing commonwealth information and passing it to the ABC, receives non-parole jail term of 27 months
Australia
Keywords: Australia news; Australian Broadcasting Corporation; Australian media; Australian military

Call for Proposals | Disability Heritage: Participatory and Transformative Engagement - Publishing in the Archives Profession (Publishing in the Archives Profession, 2024)
Call for Proposals | Disability is “everywhere and nowhere” in heritage. Even in settings where disability is obviously embedded, as in collections and sites associated with war, medicine, and industry, the experiences of disabled people often go unacknowledged or uncritically presented in the service of another story | Chapter proposals due 15 June 2024: 500 words (not including references)
Worldwide

Rilwan and Yameen’s murders: DDCom seeks to share redacted reports with families - Sun Online (Sun Online International, 2024)
The Deaths and Disappearances Commission (DDCom) announced on Tuesday that it is seeking to share redacted reports on two most high-profile murders it investigated. The commission also added it is prepared to hand over all its records of permanent value to the President’s Office, and that the material will be accompanied by guidelines and procedures “regarding how to ensure its security, confidentiality, but also accessibility for future use.”
Maldives

Chinese Woman Jailed for Reporting on Covid Is Set to Be Freed - Wang, Vivian (The New York Times, 2024)
Silencing of a film-maker documenting the widespread 2022 demonstrations against Covid controls is part of rising suppression of press freedom
China
Keywords: China; Coronavirus (2019-nCoV); Freedom of the Press; Human Rights Watch; Human Rights and Human Rights Violations; Political Prisoners; Reporters Without Borders; Zhang Zhan

Historic Haida Nation agreement shows the world how to uphold Indigenous rights - Lightfoot, Sheryl (The Conversation, 2024)
The recent title lands agreement between British Columbia and the Haida Nation is historic and inspiring, but also long overdue in light of decades of rulings by international human rights bodies.
Northern SAmerica

‘Why must I be a doctor, solicitor and detective?’: lost records block compensation for infected blood victims - Ungoed-Thomas, Jon (The Observer, 2024)
Claimants who can’t access medical information face battle for payments in biggest treatment disaster in NHS history.
United Kingdom
Keywords: Contaminated blood scandal; Health; Hepatitis C; NHS; Society; UK news

Flawed immigration detention risk assessment tool can’t be upgraded as ABF data ‘riddled with errors’ - Bogle, Ariel (The Guardian, 2024)
The secretive risk assessment tool used in Australia's immigration detention centres could not be replaced by a better model due to insufficient data collection by Australian Border Force.
Australia
Keywords: Australia news; Australian immigration and asylum; Freedom of information; Human rights; Law (Australia); Serco

'The Cursed': Former migrants rejected by society on return to Ivory Coast - Reporters - Collanges, Guillaume; Ciyow, Yassin (France 24, 2024)
In Ivory Coast, would-be migrants who return home are known locally as "the cursed". With their dream of a better life abroad in tatters, they also face stigma and rejection from their families and communities.
Côte d'Ivoire

Europol’s declaration against end-to-end encryption reignites debate, sparks privacy concerns - Julia Tar (Euractiv, 2024)
Europol’s recent joint declaration with European police chiefs urges action against end-to-end encryption, citing concerns of possible justice obstruction, amid an ongoing debate about balancing data privacy with combating crime.
Worldwide

Looking Up an NYPD Officer’s Discipline Record? Many Are There One Day, Gone the Next. - Hernandez, Sergio (ProPublica, 2024)
The police department’s public site for tracking officers’ discipline is shockingly unreliable. Cases against officers frequently vanish for days — sometimes weeks — at a time.
United States of America

Ethnic Cleansing in West Darfur - Human Rights Watch (Human Rights Watch, 2024)
Attacks by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and allied militias in El Geneina, the capital city of Sudan’s West Darfur state, from April to November 2023, killed at least thousands of people and left hundreds of thousands as refugees.
Sudan

Call for Applications | EHRI Seminar "Holocaust and Exile: Approaches, Sources, Methodologies" - EHRI (EHRI Project, 2024)
Call for Applications | EHRI Seminar | Holocaust and Exile: Approaches, Sources, Methodologies November 4-7 2024 | Location: German Exile Archive 1933-1945, Frankfurt am Main, Germany | Deadline for Submissions: 30 June 2024
Worldwide

Birth certificate in Braille now available - The Gleaner (The Gleaner, 2024)
For many years, members of the visually impaired community have faced significant challenges in accessing printed information, often having to rely on others for assistance.
Jamaica

Addressing the Impact of Mis-/Disinformation and Hate Speech on Civilians: Evolving Policies and Practices from Peacekeeping and Humanitarian Actors - ReliefWeb (ReliefWeb, 2024)
Misinformation, disinformation, and malinformation (MDM), also categorized as “harmful information”, and hate speech pose a direct threat to civilians in situations of armed conflict and other humanitarian crises. MDM and hate speech affect conflict dynamics and exploit societal divisions by increasing mistrust, exacerbating polarization, and contributing to physical, political, economic, and gendered harms.
Worldwide

Revealed: key files shredded as UK government panic grew over infected blood deaths lawsuit - Ungoed-Thomas, Jon (The Observer, 2024)
Lost documents prevented victims from finding out the truth.
United Kingdom
Keywords: Aids and HIV; Contaminated blood scandal; Health; Hepatitis C; NHS; Pharmaceuticals industry; UK news

What Biden’s expansion of health privacy rules means for people seeking abortions (2024)
The Biden administration issued new rules designed to keep prosecutors from obtaining medical records of patients who seek legal abortions. The expansion of HIPAA prohibits the disclosure of health information to state officials as part of a criminal investigation.
United States of America

Ngāhuia Murphy: The mana and mātauranga of wāhine Māori - Rakuraku, Maraea (E-Tangata, 2024)
Ngāhuia’s work — most notably on menstruation practices in the precolonial Māori world — has done much to uncover the previously invisible histories and identities of Māori women that were “stolen from us through colonial processes”. She is reclaiming the stories and mātauranga of wāhine Māori, she says, because she’s “not prepared to leave wāhine stranded in the margins of history as second-class citizens”.
New Zealand

China erases memory of ‘white paper’ protests in further threat to journalism - Lau, Jessie (The Guardian, 2024)
Silencing of a film-maker documenting the widespread 2022 demonstrations against Covid controls is part of rising suppression of press freedom.
China
Keywords: Asia Pacific; China; Coronavirus; Global development; Newspapers & magazines; Press freedom; Protest; World news

News from the ICA Section on Archives and Human Rights - 2024-05 (May) - SAHR Newsletter Woking Group (ICA, 2024)

Big oil privately acknowledged efforts to downplay climate crisis, joint committee investigation finds - Noor, Dharna (The Guardian, 2024)
Internal documents revealed by committee show companies lobbied against climate laws they publicly claimed to support.
United States of America
Keywords: Climate crisis; Energy; Environment; Fossil fuels; US news; US politics; World news

How a digital archive is preserving Canada’s history of LGBTQ+ activism - Dangoisse, Pascale; Crompton, Constance; Schwartz, Michelle (The Conversation, 2024)
The Lesbian and Gay Liberation in Canada (LGLC) project aims to learn from the activism of the past and how the movement evolved over time by making archives of LGBTQ+ and feminist organising accessible digitally.
Canada

MEP Krah accessed ‘sensitive’ documents, EU Parliament trade committee chair says - Camille Gijs, Eddy Wax and Lennart Pfahler (POLITICO, 2024)
Charges of spying and corruption spark call for internal parliamentary probe.
Europe

Revealed: UK government was warned of infected blood risks in 1970s - Ungoed-Thomas, Jon; McKie, Robin (The Observer, 2024)
Documents show officials were told blood plasma harvested from US convicts was contaminated with viruses
United Kingdom
Keywords: Aids and HIV; Bayer; Business; Contaminated blood scandal; Health; Hepatitis B; Hepatitis C; Microbiology; NHS; Pharmaceuticals industry; Pharmacy and pharmacology; Society; UK news

Bolt lobbying revelations: Estonia official says human error behind missing correspondence - Bourgery-Gonse, Théo (www.euractiv.com, 2024)
The omission of emails from the Estonian Ministry of Economic Affairs to Bolt and other mobility tech firms, demanded in a freedom of information (FOI) request, was due to human error.
Estonia

How gendered disinformation on social media harms Kenyan women seeking political office - Linda Ngari (Global Voices, 2024)
"Women often don’t sue because they don’t actually know that the law can protect them ... because of the stigma around it, and the fact that people have normalised cyberbullying ..."
Kenya

50 years ago, the Carnation Revolution ended Portugal's dictatorship in one night - Rérolle, Raphaëlle (Le Monde.fr, 2024)
On April 25, 1974, the Portuguese military overthrew Antonio de Oliveira Salazar's authoritarian regime. Fifty years later, participants and witnesses tell Le Monde about those few hours during which the old world gave way to the new.
Portugal

Police serve search warrant on New Orleans archdiocese in child sex abuse case - Vargas, Ramon Antonio (The Guardian, 2024)
A judge approved the warrant in investigation to determine if church hierarchy illegally covered up systemic child molestation
United States of America
Keywords: Catholicism; Louisiana; New Orleans; Rape and sexual assault; US crime; US news

European Health Data Space clears the last hurdle in Parliament - Feore, Catherine (www.euractiv.com, 2024)
The European Parliament adopted on Wednesday (24 April) the European Health Data Space Regulation, a key step for Europe's digital healthcare that should facilitate access to cross-border medical data.
Europe

IOM and CRAF'd Partner to Enhance Data-Driven Responses to Displacement - IOM (International Organization for Migration, 2024)
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the Complex Risk Analytics Fund (CRAF'd) are proud to announce a new partnership to enhance the understanding of internal displacement and enable data-driven action to save lives and deliver solutions. The partnership will deliver a first-of-its-kind global dataset offering comparable, sub-national mobility data drawing on DTM operations around the world.
Worldwide

Freedom of information: To what extent are public archives accessible? - Jung, Anne-Catherine (Phys.org, 2024)
In 2000, the Council of Europe issued a Recommendation aimed at improving access to archives in the member states. Together with the Vera and Donald Blinken Open Society Archives (OSA Archivum) in Budapest, Fraunhofer ISI evaluated how these recommendations have been implemented and how accessible the archives are more than 20 years on. The researchers also investigated the technological, legal and political challenges facing freedom of information.
Europe

Digital Security Increasingly Relies on AI. But That Tech Isn't as Secure as We Think - Yeung, Douglas (Rand, 2024)
In the digital age, trade-offs—like displaying our faces and fingerprints—are all but required to function in society. But the technology charged with securing our information and protecting against theft, fraud, and other potential harms doesn't always work.
Worldwide
Keywords: Artificial Intelligence; Cybersecurity; Data Privacy; Digital Equity; Emerging Technologies

Israel has yet to provide evidence of Unrwa staff terrorist links, Colonna report says - Borger, Julian (The Guardian, 2024)
Review finds government yet to substantiate claims UN relief agency staff have ties to Hamas or Islamic Jihad
Israel
Keywords: Gaza; Israel; Israel-Gaza war; Middle East and north Africa; Palestinian territories; Refugees; United Nations; World news

A chance for Africa to counter the pitfalls of international criminal justice? - Hendrickse, Melissa (Amnesty International, 2024)
Since its inception, the project of international criminal justice has been marked by a striking indifference to the long historical record of atrocities perpetrated by the Western world against people of the Global South, and Africa in particular.
Worldwide

Can AI image generators be policed to prevent explicit deepfakes of children? - Hern, Alex (The Guardian, 2024)
As one of the largest ‘training’ datasets has been found to contain child sexual abuse material, can bans on creating such imagery be feasible?
Worldwide
Keywords: Artificial intelligence (AI); ChatGPT; Computing; Deepfake; Online abuse; Open source; OpenAI; Pornography; Software; Technology; UK news; World news

Between privacy and border control: Tech in the Migration Pact - Gkritsi, Eliza (www.euractiv.com, 2024)
Last week, the EU Parliament voted to pass amendments to Eurodac, previously a fingerprints database, along with a new Migration Pact to boost border security.
Europe

Srebrenica Genocide Must Be Condemned, Denial Banned, 2 Members Of Bosnian Presidency Tell UN - RFE/RL's Balkan Service (Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 2024)
The 1995 genocide in Srebrenica must be globally condemned, support for victims must be expressed, and denial of genocide and glorification of war criminals be banned to prevent future similar tragedies, two members of the tripartite presidency of Bosnia-Herzegovina told a UN session on April 19.
Bosnia and Herzegovina

The Scholar Who Rewrote Black Brazilian History - Amin, Lakshmi Rivera; Bittencourt, Ela (Hyperallergic, 2024)
Beatriz Nascimento’s groundbreaking research defied dominant White Brazilian academic narratives, instead emphasizing Black political agency.
Brazil

World Press Photo 2024 – global winners - Fidler, Matt (The Guardian, 2024)
The global winners in the World Press Photo annual competition have been announced, with Mohammed Salem winning world press photo of the year. The winning photographs in the Word Press Photo 2024 competition are selected representations of the human adventure. Photographers have endeavoured to capture striking images, often linked to human rights issues such as women's rights, children's rights, migration, civil rights, decolonization, indigenous matters, wars and the impact of climate change.
Worldwide

Explosive Weapons’ Dire Impact on Cultural Heritage - Human Rights Watch (Human Rights Watch, 2024)
The bombing and shelling of cities and towns during armed conflict has devastating consequences for cultural heritage and civilians.
Worldwide

UNESCO Regional Office Supports Sudan in Assessing Conflict's Impacts on Cultural Heritage - UNESCO (UNESCO News, 2024)
UNESCO's Regional Office for Egypt and Sudan, in collaboration with Sudan's National Corporation for Antiquities and Museums (NCAM), the French Archaeological Mission to Sudan (SFDAS), and the Polish Cultural Center, convened a crucial two-day workshop in Cairo from April 16-17, 2024. The workshop, titled "Update of Crisis Response, Risk Mitigation, and First Aid for Sudan's Heritage," aimed to devise strategies to protect Sudan's cultural heritage, imperiled by the prolonged conflict in the region.
Sudan

South Africans tasted the fruits of freedom and then corruption snatched them away – podcast - Ware, Gemma; Leshilo, Thabo (The Conversation, 2024)
The second episode of What happened to Nelson Mandela’s South Africa?, a three-part podcast series on The Conversation Weekly. Featuring interviews with Mashupye Maserumule and Michael Sachs.
South Africa

Mass death, torture and other violations against people detained in aftermath of Islamic State defeat – new report - Amnesty International (Amnesty International, 2024)
People detained following the territorial defeat of the Islamic State (IS) armed group are facing systematic violations and dying in large numbers due to inhumane conditions in north-east Syria, Amnesty International said in a new report.
Syrian Arab Republic

WWII: In the footsteps of the African Resistance fighters who fell in the Battle of Vercors - GORMEZANO, David (France 24, 2024)
Thousands of German soldiers moved in on southeastern France's Vercors Plateau in July 1944 in a bid to crush a regional uprising led by a rural French Resistance group. Over 100 Resistance fighters…
France

Cyber-attack targets UN server - Irwin Loy (The New Humanitarian, 2024)
Data extortion attack targets a UN server: A cyber-attack on a server used by the United Nations Development Programme has exposed personal information belonging to past and current personnel, the agency said. UNDP said it learned of the attack on 27 March: “This was a data-extortion threat actor that identified themselves on the dark web,” a spokesperson said in an emailed statement.
Worldwide

Your Brain Waves Are Up for Sale. A New Law Wants to Change That. - Moens, Jonathan (The New York Times, 2024)
In a first, a Colorado law extends privacy rights to the neural data increasingly coveted by technology companies.
United States of America
Keywords: Brain; Colorado; Computers and the Internet; Consumer Protection; Data-Mining and Database Marketing; Law and Legislation; Privacy; your-feed-science

EU data protection body says Meta's 'pay or OK' model is not OK - Tar, Julia (www.euractiv.com, 2024)
The European Data Protection Board opposed Meta's controversial "pay or okay" business model in an opinion published on Wednesday (17 April), saying this binary approach was not compliant with the EU's data privacy rules.
Europe

Could the U.S. force treatment on mentally ill people (again)? - Rosalsky, Greg (NPR, 2024)
Sixty years ago, America began closing mental hospitals. A growing chorus is blaming that for the crisis of mentally ill folks living on our streets.
United States of America

Liberia senate votes to establish war crimes court - Bondo, Dounard (The Guardian, 2024)
The court will investigate crimes against humanity committed during the African country’s two civil wars between 1989 and 2003
Liberia
Keywords: Africa; Child soldiers; Conflict and arms; Global development; Law; Liberia; War crimes; World news

Abu Ghraib Torture Case Finally Goes to Trial - Sanbar, Sarah (Human Rights Watch, 2024)
Twenty years have passed since the media broke the story that US forces and the CIA were torturing “war on terror” detainees at Abu Ghraib and other US-run prisons in Iraq. But for the men who were tortured, it feels like only yesterday.
Iraq
Keywords: Middle East; United States of America

UK swapped to fatal US blood products to save money, minutes suggest - Boffey, Daniel (The Guardian, 2024)
Exclusive: contaminated blood campaigners say internal 1976 Immuno AG document proves British government negligence
United Kingdom
Keywords: Aids and HIV; Business; Contaminated blood scandal; Health; Hepatitis C; NHS; Pharmaceuticals industry; Politics; Society; UK news

Riz Ahmed’s Defiance: how the visceral racism of 70s Britain gave way to a new era of identity politics - Malik, Kenan (The Observer, 2024)
A candid documentary tells how a generation of activists from Asian communities confronted prejudice
United Kingdom
Keywords: Channel 4; Documentary; Immigration and asylum; Race; UK news

Amnesty International calls for human rights bodies to investigate killings of civilians by the Ethiopian National Defense Forces (ENDF) in Merawi town, on 29 January, as war crimes of murder and extrajudicial executions - Amnesty International (Amnesty International, 2024)
Claims by the Ethiopian government that accountability has already been achieved for crimes committed in the war in northern Ethiopia demonstrate lack of political commitment to genuine justice and accountability.
Ethiopia

Texas hospital halts liver and kidney transplants amid claims doctor denied patients organs - Chao-Fong, Léonie (The Guardian, 2024)
Doctor who helmed abdominal transplant program reportedly manipulated records to make patients ineligible to receive livers
United States of America
Keywords: Texas; US healthcare; US news

Russia's Disinformation Campaign About the Moscow Terror Attack May Be Working - Bauer, Ryan (Rand, 2024)
As far-fetched as it may seem to those in the West, the Kremlin's claim that the recent terrorist attack on a Moscow concert hall was orchestrated by Ukraine and Western powers may be convincing to many Russians. For the U.S. to address and combat these claims, it is important to understand how they are framed amid broadly propagated themes, and how these could influence their potential appeal to large swaths of the Russian public.
Russian Federation
Keywords: Information Operations; Russia; Terrorist Organizations; Ukraine; United States

Journalist says a 'land grab' in Tanzania is forcing the Maasai off their land - Davies, Dave (NPR, 2024)
Journalist Stephanie McCrummen says foreign interests are acquiring territory in Northern Tanzania, effectively displacing indigenous cattle-herders from their traditional grazing lands. Transcription available
Tanzania, United Republic of

IDF colonel discusses ‘data science magic powder’ for locating terrorists - Davies, Harry; McKernan, Bethan (The Guardian, 2024)
Video of official from Unit 8200 in February 2023 raises questions about Israel’s denials of use of AI in Gaza
Israel
Keywords: Artificial intelligence (AI); Gaza; Israel; Middle East and north Africa; Technology; World news

Archives agreement between Israel and Ukraine may shed light on Holocaust in country - Eichner, Itamar (Ynetnews, 2024)
Both countries will open their state archives to experts and nationals in a process that may facilitate Ukrainian Jews' efforts to make Aliyah
Israel
Keywords: Holocaust; Israel; Ukraine

Archives agreement between Israel and Ukraine may shed light on Holocaust in country - Eichner, Itamar (Ynetnews, 2024)
Both countries will open their state archives to experts and nationals in a process that may facilitate Ukrainian Jews' efforts to make Aliyah
Ukraine
Keywords: Holocaust; Israel; Ukraine

10 Years After Chibok, Schoolchildren Still at Risk - Human Rights Watch (Human Rights Watch, 2024)
Ten years after the abduction of over 200 schoolgirls in Chibok, Nigerian authorities have failed to put in place and sustain crucial measures to provide a secure learning environment for every child.
Nigeria

Tribal Nations Receive $411,000 to Document Impact of Federal Indian Boarding School Era - Kunze, Jenna (Native News Online, 2024)
Fourteen tribal nations, tribal schools and colleges, and state organizations will initiate community projects to capture, preserve, and educate about the impact of the Federal Indian Boarding School era, thanks to $411,000 in funding announced by the National Endowment for the Humanities
United States of America

Friday essay: ‘too many Aboriginal babies’ – Australia’s secret history of Aboriginal population control in the 1960s - Rademaker, Julia; Troy, Jakelin; Hurst, Julia (The Conversation, 2024)
Aboriginal women faced covert government family-planning programs, designed ostensibly to promote “choice”, but ultimately to curb their fertility. For decades, Indigenous communities have spoken of the coercive practices of officials and medical experts around birth control and sterilisation, and how they experienced them. Now historians are finding evidence of these practices in the government’s own records from as recently as the 1960s and ‘70s.
Australia

How ‘white’ fragility perpetuates anti-Black racism in Arab societies - Al-Azraki, Amir (The Conversation, 2024)
In recent years, controversies have erupted in the Arab world over negative portrayals of Black people. Arabic television shows have frequently ridiculed Black people with lighter skinned actors regularly appearing in blackface.
Worldwide

Slavery Was Crucial for the Development of Capitalism - Blackburn, Robin; Dowling, Owen (Jacobin, 2024)
Historian Robin Blackburn has completed a trilogy of books that provide a comprehensive Marxist account of slavery in the New World. He spoke to Jacobin about the intimate links between the slave systems in the Americas and the origins of capitalism.
Americas

How the dung queen of Dublin was swept from history - Carroll, Rory (The Guardian, 2024)
AI to be used by researchers to scour documents for information on women omitted from chronicles written by men about men
Ireland
Keywords: Artificial intelligence (AI); Europe; Ireland; Society; Technology; Universities; Women; World news

Biden Says U.S. Is Considering Dropping Its Case Against Assange - Green, Erica L. (The New York Times, 2024)
The WikiLeaks founder has been held in London as he has battled extradition to the United States on charges related to his publication of classified documents.
United States of America
Keywords: Albanese; Anthony (1963- ); Assange; Julian P; Australia; Biden; Joseph R Jr; Classified Information and State Secrets; First Amendment (US Constitution); Freedom of Speech and Expression; Great Britain; United States International Relations; United States Politics and Government; WikiLeaks

The Respectful Terminology Platform Project Receives Prestigious Grant from the Mellon Foundation - Price, Gary (Library Journal infoDOCKET, 2024)
The Respectful Terminology Platform Project (RTPP), an Indigenous-led initiative under the NIKLA-ANCLA umbrella, is honoured to announce that the project has been awarded a two-year grant for a total of $1.4M USD from the Mellon Foundation.
Northern America
Keywords: Multiple Nations

How the Maduro government pays to promote propaganda and disinformation in Venezuela - ProBox (Global Voices, 2024)
The official propaganda of the government of Nicolás Maduro spreads thanks to the work of citizens who receive payments from the government to promote trends on social media
Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of

Defend Rights - Memria x Norwegian Human Rights Fund Archive - Sienkiewicz, Emily (Permanent.org, 2024)
All people have a legacy that deserves to be preserved. In other words, we believe it is an essential human right to be able to preserve your legacy. A single story from someone who cares can inspire others to leave the world a better place.
Norway

‘Historic’ European Court of Human Rights ruling backs Swiss women in climate change case - Frost, Rosie (Euronews, 2024)
In a landmark decision, the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has ruled that climate change violates the right to respect for one’s private and family life.
Europe

Dawn Landes's new album reimagines feminist folk songs from 1800 to 1970 (CBC Art, 2024)
The singer-songwriter Dawn Landes album, The Liberated Woman's Songbook, inspired by a 1971 book of the same name that chronicles the women's liberation movement through a collection of songs from the 1800s to early 1970. Landes talks about the power of music as a tool for activism, finding solace and inspiration through the voices of women throughout American history, and why these songs still serve as a map for survival today.
Worldwide

Valuable documents about Dien Bien Phu Campaign unveiled - VietnamPlus (VietnamPlus, 2024)
A number of original documents and records about the Dien Bien Phu Campaign and the 1954 Geneva Conference were made public for the first time and recently introduced to the public.
Viet Nam
Keywords: Dien Bien Phu

Bangladesh Film Archive, Getty Images sign MoU to preserve footage on Liberation War, Bangabandhu - Dhaka UNB (The Daily Star, 2024)
The Bangladesh Film Archive, under the information ministry, and Getty Images, a visual media company of the US, have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to collect and preserve footage on the Liberation War and Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman
Bangladesh
Keywords: Bangladesh; Getty; Liberation war; audiovisual

NGO seeks a probe into the deaths of two French officers slain in Rwanda genocide - France 24 (France 24, 2024)
A non-governmental organisation on Monday sought answers over the deaths of two French officers killed in the early days of the 1994 Rwanda genocide, a legal complaint seen by AFP showed.
Rwanda

Memorializing the Romani past: “We exist, respect our humanity" - OHCHR (OHCHR, 2024)
Coordinated by UN Human Rights, the Romani Memory Map for the Americas is a crowd-sourced initiative to recognize and honour sites of memory of the Romani community in the Americas, from the United States to Argentina. The project builds on efforts to strengthen Roma rights and inclusion, advance public memory of Roma people and history, and combat anti-gypsyism, the specific form of racism facing Roma.
Northern America

The Queer Museum | Radical Inclusion and Western Museology - Robenalt, Erica (Routledge, 2024)
The Queer Museum examines how relationships between institutions and LGBTQ+communities function and how they help to define queer museum practice.
Worldwide

Beyond profit: Enforcing human rights in business - Sanchez Amor, Nacho; Wolters, Lara (ET Observer, 2024)
In an increasingly globalised world, where multinational corporations wield unprecedented influence, the need for robust mechanisms to hold businesses accountable for human rights abuses has never been more pressing. The ethical responsibilities of businesses extend far beyond profit margins and shareholder interests
Worldwide

Rwanda marks 30 years since genocide that horrified the world - Cheman, Melissa (RFI, 2024)
Rwanda has begun 100 days of commemorations to mark the 30th anniversary of the 1994 genocide, in which 800,000 people, most of them from the Tutsi ethnic group, were massacred by Hutu militias.
Rwanda

Rwanda remembers genocide 30 years on in ceremony - Euronews (Euronews, 2024)
World leaders around the world have marked the anniversary of the genocide of the Tutsi ethnic minority. Charles Michel, the President of the European Council, admitted responsibility, a kind of complicity on the part of the international community - which remained motionless, closed its eyes - in this dark moment in human history.
Rwanda

Breakthrough for transparency: Court ruling exposes misconduct - IOL Reporter (IOL, 2024)
In a landmark legal battle, Independent Media's successful appeal against the State Security Minister's interim interdict reveals a victory not only for press freedom but also for transparency and accountability in governance.
South Africa

RIM month to focus on records management, climate change - Jamaica Gleaner (Jamaica Gleaner, 2024)
The Jamaica Archives and Records Department (JARD) is observing Records and Information Management (RIM) month in April, with a focus on increasing awareness about the importance of accurate records management in providing holistic solutions to the impact of climate-change.
Jamaica

Guatemala ex-general on trial accused of genocide - Rocha, Leonardo; Vock, Ido (BBC News, 2024)
A former general accused of ordering the murder of more than 1,200 indigenous Ixil Maya people during Guatemala's civil war has gone on trial.
Guatemala

Amnesty International launches book ‘Images of Rebellion’, a testament to civil resistance - Amnesty International (Amnesty International, 2024)
Amnesty International has published the book Images of Rebellion, an extraordinary visual compilation that chronicles and celebrates the defiant spirit of civil resistance in Cuba. The book contains a poignant selection of the more than 21,000 letters and drawings sent to Luis Manuel Otero Alcántara, Cuban artist and prisoner of conscience, in a global outpouring of support.
Cuba

Resettlement as a Human Rights Issue: Submission to the UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Adequate Housing - Amnesty International (Amnesty International, 2024)
Amnesty International welcomes the call for inputs by the UN Special Rapporteur on Adequate Housing as a Component of the Right to an Adequate Standard of Living, and on the Right to Non-discrimination in this Context, to inform his report to the General Assembly in October 2024, and for developing international guiding principles for resettlement.
Worldwide

Reconciliation made in Rwanda - Sehene Ruvugiro, Emmanuel (JustiveInfo.net, 2024)
At least 800,000 people were massacred in 100 days, between April and July 1994. Since then, the national justice system has tried over a million people. The time for retribution has passed. And Rwandans have had to relearn how to “live together”. Our correspondent asked some of them what this “reconciliation” means for them.
Rwanda