Trump has made it clear that he will make trouble for media outlets that cross him. Rather than reacting with indignation at this challenge to his paper’s critical function in a democracy, Soon-Shiong threw the paper to the wolves. That was cowardly.
And his decision had a sort of force multiplier effect with the similar conduct by Washington Post owner Jeff Bezos, who rammed a similar non-endorsement decision down the throat of his editorial staff. There as well, there was no argument that the intervention was based on sensible policy contrast between Trump and Harris. History will record it as a self-serving protection of other holdings, which, as in the case of Soon-Shiong’s, dwarf the newspaper itself.
Day: 5 December 2024
A report from Amnesty International published today concluded Israel is committing genocide against the Palestinians in Gaza.
The London-based human rights watchdog’s 296-page report details how Israel has sought to deliberately destroy Palestinians in its war with Hamas, by mounting deadly attacks, demolishing vital infrastructure, and preventing aid deliveries.
The findings are based on satellite images documenting devastation, fieldwork, and ground reports from Gazans as well as “dehumanising and genocidal statements by Israeli government and military officials”.
Rory O’Neill, writing for Politico »
The report, which analyzed interviews with 212 people, alongside satellite imagery, visual evidence and statements by Israeli officials, found Israel’s actions in the wake of the Oct. 7 Hamas-led attacks are prohibited under the Genocide Convention and conducted with the specific intent to destroy Palestinians in Gaza.
The report warned that countries supplying arms to Israel, including the United States and Germany, are failing in their obligation to prevent genocide. In the first year of its war in Gaza, Israel has killed more than 42,000 Palestinians, including over 13,300 children, and injured over 97,000 more, according to Gaza’s health ministry. Amnesty says the real figures could be even higher.
“Month after month, Israel has treated Palestinians in Gaza as a subhuman group unworthy of human rights and dignity, demonstrating its intent to physically destroy them,” said Agnès Callamard, secretary-general of Amnesty International.
Israel has rejected the claim as “baseless.”
Amnesty International » The 296-page report
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Last Updated on December 6, 2024
Miranda Bryan, writing in The Guardian »
Unlike the majority of humans, who see with their eyes, in the darkness of the ocean whales and dolphins see with sound. It is like going into a dark room and scanning the room with a torch, she says, only for somebody to suddenly turn on a big light. “You get blinded. And that’s how it is for the whales with noise – they get blinded.
“It’s not just a masking of the communication,” Vester says. “It’s also blinding their sensory organ of seeing underwater.”