6 h. ago ‘I woke up and there was no water’: Gaza’s human rights defenders in their own words | Mary Lawlor

A UN special rapporteur shares the stories of those trying to record the horrors of Gaza even as they live through them“Yesterday I talked to a mother of a child who was born and died in the war.”“Every day I look at my child, who instead of going to school is going to fetch water, and instead of playing football is hanging around in areas where corpses are lying.”Mary Lawlor is UN special rapporteur on human rights defenders Continue reading...

Politics

7 d. ago Cancelled by Britain, Graham Linehan's war with trans lobby ended his career and his marriage. Now he's quit the UK for America

The Father Ted creator was arrested by armed police at Heathrow Airport last week and questioned over three tweets defending women from transgender rights campaigners.

Events

7 d. ago Father Ted creator Graham Linehan seeks asylum in US as a 'free speech refugee' after being arrested by armed police at Heathrow last week over trans tweets

The Father Ted creator was arrested by armed police at Heathrow Airport last week and questioned over three tweets defending women from transgender rights campaigners.

Events

2 w. ago Minneapolis school shooter Robin Westman's former GOP lawmaker uncle who defended transgender rights says he wishes killer 'shot me instead'

Police said Robin Westman opened fire at a Catholic church on Wednesday morning, killing two children. Westman's yearbook entry at the associated school has been unearthed.

Events

2 w. ago UN human rights staff urge leadership to declare Israel’s war in Gaza a genocide

Internal letter also calls on UN member states to suspend arms sales, saying ‘criticising Israel is not enough’Middle East crisis – live updatesHundreds of employees of the United Nations’ leading human rights agency have backed an internal letter telling its leadership to declare Israel’s offensive in Gaza a genocide and to call on UN member states to suspend arms sales to Israel.The 1,100-word letter, signed by about a quarter of the 2,000 staff of the Geneva- and New York-based Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), says the Israeli offensive in Gaza meets the legal threshold of genocide and that this means “arms sales, transfers and related logistical or financial support to Israeli authorities” constitutes a clear breach of international law by all those involved. Continue reading...

Politics

2 w. ago Bernie Sanders condemns ousting of CDC chief Susan Monarez as ‘outrageous’ – US politics live

Vermont senator weighs in after Monarez issues statement refusing to step down, plunging public health agency into chaosA notable feature of Cook’s lawsuit against the president, her lawyers have listed Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell and the rest of the board as defendants.They underscore that while the president has the right to remove a governor of the board “for cause”, Donald Trump only cited a referral letter from Bill Pulte, director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, which alleges that Cook made false statements on a mortgage agreement.The claims made in Director Pulte’s referral letter are unsubstantiated allegations that about conduct that predates her [Cook’s] Senate confirmation, and Governor Cook has never been given an opportunity to address them. Continue reading...

Politics

2 w. ago Minneapolis school shooter Robin Westman's former GOP lawmaker uncle who defended transgender rights says he wishes killer 'shot me instead:' Live updates

Police said Robin Westman opened fire at a Catholic church on Wednesday morning, killing two children. Westman's yearbook entry at the associated school has been unearthed.

Events

2 w. ago Minneapolis school shooter's former GOP lawmaker uncle who defended transgender rights says he wishes killer 'shot me instead:' Live updates

Police said Robin Westman opened fire at a Catholic church on Wednesday morning, killing two children. Westman's yearbook entry at the associated school has been unearthed.

Events

3 w. ago SNP defends 'strong' rights making Glasgow magnet for homeless refugees and costing extra £40m

Glasgow City Council has received homeless applications from hundreds of refugees who sought asylum in English and Northern Irish cities.

Economics

3 w. ago Political leaders on Scottish council promise to 'defend right to peaceful protest'

Political leaders on a Scottish council have reaffirmed their commitment to being a "Council of Sanctuary"

Politics

3 w. ago Emmanuel Macron says he is suing US influencer to 'defend his honour' over ludicrous claims wife Brigitte was born a man

French president Emmanuel Macron has claimed the lawsuit he and his wife have filed against right-wing American influencer Candace Owens was put forward to 'defend his honour.'

Politics

3 w. ago Voices: Britain’s shameful inaction on Jimmy Lai could cost him his life

In deteriorating health in a Hong Kong jail, the businessman’s detention is now a test of Keir Starmer’s seriousness about human rights – and the government’s willingness to defend its citizens and values abroad, says Jodie Ginsberg

Politics

last month Why I withdrew my book from an LGBTQ+ literary prize | Jason Okundaye

The Polari first book prize claims to promote trans rights and trans voices. But when I saw the longlist, I had to actLast week, I withdrew my nomination from the longlist for the Polari first book prize. The awards had become mired in controversy due to the nomination of the Irish author John Boyne, best known for The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas, for the main prize for his novel Earth. Four days before the longlist announcement, Boyne had written in the Irish Independent, celebrating JK Rowling “as a fellow terf” and saying of women who had “pilloried” her for her gender activism: “For every Commander Waterford, there’s a Serena Joy standing behind him, ready to pin a handmaiden down as her husband rapes her.”I think such a viewpoint is abhorrent, but Boyne is free to hold whatever views he wants. What was unacceptable was a statement from the Polari prize addressing the backlash, emphasising its commitment to “support trans rights and amplify trans voices”, but defending Boyne’s in...

Politics