‘Speech protections are not just for views we agree with but also for views we most strongly oppose’
The Westminster Declaration also cites the UDHR (United Nations Human Rights), which “was drafted in 1948 in response to atrocities committed during World War II,” as another example of how protections for free speech are legally enshrined. The declaration specifically cites Article 19 of the UDHR, which states, “Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.’”
Wary of systematic erosion of free speech 138 luminaries push government, Big Tech to guard free press
The Westminster Declaration resulted from a meeting of “free speech champions from around the world” who met in Westminster, London, at the end of June 2023. The declaration, which was delivered to the office of UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, states that a “censorship-industrial complex” consisting of public, private and academic actors, is “increasingly working to monitor citizens and rob them of their voices.”
Death toll from Israeli airstrikes in Gaza rushes toward 9,000 as ground troops battle Hamas militants
Some 800,000 Palestinians have reportedly fled to the south, but many have not, in part because they say nowhere is safe as Israeli airstrikes in the south have continued to cause civilian deaths. The window to flee may be closing, as Israeli forces reached Gaza’s main north-south highway this week.
Uganda is a mega-monarchy today with small monarchy-like entities where human rights do not matter
Land grabbing has proved greatly injurious to the environment with long-term dire consequences for humanity not only in Uganda but also in the region and the world. For example Mabira Rain Forest, whose influence on climate in Uganda, the region and the world has been reduced to a miniature by the land grabbing culture and behaviour of the powerful and the powerless empowering themselves by their strong ties to power.
Kenya tops Africa on organised crime index, having overtaken Nigeria and rest of West Africa
Resilience is measured according to the mechanisms countries have in place to combat organised crime, and their effectiveness. Resilience capacity and effectiveness are evaluated to assess the level at which states have established appropriate legal, political and strategic frameworks to address organised crime.
Poverty and corruption are transforming African coastal waters into world’s biggest transnational crime scene
Drug runners also exploit the hard-to-police waters of East Africa, including the island states of Comoros, Madagascar, Mauritius, the French island of Réunion and the Seychelles, which has the highest per capita rate of heroin use in the world.
Police block airing grievances against British army abuses in Kenya hours before King Charles landed
A British soldier seemed to claim credit in 2021 on social media for starting the wildfire, which destroyed thousands of acres of a nature conservancy. The British High Commissioner at the time said she was “appalled” by the post and promised the royal military police would investigate.
Israel says it battled Hamas gunmen inside their vast tunnel network underground Gaza
Gaza health authorities say that 8,306 people, including 3,457 minors, have been killed in Israeli attacks since October 7. UN officials say more than 1.4 million of Gaza’s civilian population of about 2.3 million have been made homeless. We were unable to independently verify casualty counts.
US to evict Gabon, Niger, Uganda and Central African Republic from Agoa trade programme
Launched in 2000, AGOA grants exports from qualifying countries duty-free access to the US market. It is set to expire in September 2025, but discussions are already underway over whether to extend it and for how long.
World Bank predicts meteoric spike in oil prices if Israel-Hamas war escalates
Some analysts are sceptical that the US would experience massive oil shortages, since US oil production is at an all-time high.
