Category: MIL-OSI

Source: Chatham House –

Chatham House welcomes 2026 interns
News release
jon.wallace
17 September 2026

Our internships offers an invaluable learning experience through a six-month placement.

Chatham House is excited to welcome the 2026-2027 cohort to the Molchanov Sustainability Internship Programme. 

Introduced in January 2021, the programme has been made possible following the gift of Pavel Molchanov, to support the next generation of leaders in sustainability. 

The internships grant practical learning opportunities at a world-famous think-tank, helping a new generation of policymakers understand how to shape policy, influence debate and create meaningful change towards a sustainable future. 

This autumn, Chatham House staff in seven departments are delighted to welcome interns to their teams: 

• Arumina Hull, Environment and Society Centre
• Claire Ellis, Events team
• Daria Svitlyk, Europe, Russia and Eurasia Programmes
• Leila Hopkins Ait Bamai, UK in the World & US and North America Programmes
• Nour Al-Amoudi, Middle East and North Africa Programme
• Oluwadara Osinowo, Africa Programme
• Shehab Khashoggi, Middle East and North Africa Programme

For more information about the internships, please contact the Academy team.

Source: Amnesty International –

Amnesty International’s Secretary General Agnès Callamard will be in New York City for the 81st Session of the UN General Assembly from September 22 to 26 and available for interviews. She will be meeting with senior UN figures and focusing her visit on the following issues:

• The selection of the next UN Secretary-General, and the state of the UN, multilateralism and the rules-based order
• Artificial Intelligence and the need for a global, binding, transparent, and effective regulatory model
• The Trump administration’s continuing attacks on international justice institutions
• International and multilateral responses to Israel’s genocide in Gaza and ethnic cleansing in the West Bank
• US-Israeli unlawful attacks on Iran, violations of international law and war crimes
• Iran’s internal repression, including crimes against humanity
• Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine
• Sudan, the role of the UAE and the international community
• DRC, critical minerals and Rwanda

“The United Nations is at one of its most critical junctures since its foundation more than eight decades ago. The world is beset by genocide, war, climate collapse, rampant inequality, ascendent anti-rights movements, unprecedented corporate power, and a reckless, unrestrained and extractive race to develop ever-more advanced AI. The Security Council is mired in paralysis while powerful states are further undermining the UN’s relevance and effectiveness by subjecting it to severe political, financial, and diplomatic pressure,” said Agnès Callamard.

“The next UN Secretary-General must be a staunch defender of international law. They must be willing to confront the powerful bullies and predators that stalk the international stage. They must be prepared to resist geopolitical pressure, condemn atrocities no matter who commits them, and engage meaningfully and constructively with civil society. They cannot simply be a consensus manager whose selection is the result of a closed-door compromise by the powerful. The next Secretary-General must be someone with the conviction and the know-how to mount a robust and effective defence of human rights and the UN Charter.”

The United Nations is at one of its most critical junctures since its foundation more than eight decades ago.

Agnès Callamard, Amnesty International’s Secretary General

On 24 September, Agnès Callamard will be speaking at a side event hosted by Amnesty International, the Global Centre for the Responsibility to Protect, and the Committee to Protect Journalists:

Source: Amnesty International –

Reacting to the re-arrest of human rights lawyers Imaan Mazari-Hazir and Hadi Ali Chattha just hours after they had been granted bail by the Supreme Court yesterday, Babu Ram Pant, Amnesty International’s Deputy Regional Director for South Asia, said:

“Imaan and Hadi’s re-arrest dispels any pretence that the charges against them are anything other than a politically motivated attempt to punish them for their human rights work. Their case demonstrates once again the authorities’ willingness to weaponize the legal system against critical voices.

“These latest charges, brought against them for simply attending a peaceful protest, are not only absurd but an insult to their lifelong commitment to human rights.

Their case demonstrates once again the authorities’ willingness to weaponize the legal system against critical voices

Babu Ram Pant, Amnesty International’s Deputy Regional Director for South Asia

“The Pakistani authorities must stop misusing the justice system to target Imaan and Hadi. They must be released immediately and unconditionally, with no further charges to prolong their detention. Imaan and Hadi should be free to meet their friends and family and to do the work they love – representing victims of human rights violations.”

Background

Human rights lawyers Imaan Mazari-Hazir and Hadi Ali Chattha were granted bail and their sentences were suspended by the Supreme Court of Pakistan on 17 September after nearly eight months of arbitrary detention. They were originally arrested on 23 January and sentenced the next day to 10 to 17 years of imprisonment under sections 9 (glorification of an offence), 10 (cyber terrorism), and 26-A (false or fake information) under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act simply for social media posts critical of the authorities.

On 17 September, at around 9:30pm, while their paperwork for release was being processed, Imaan and Hadi were taken into police custody inside Adila Jail, Rawalpindi and produced before an anti-terrorism judge, who ordered their remand back to Adila Jail for 14 days. The case against them was registered on 22 March 2025. They are accused of chanting “anti-government slogans” and allegedly “blocking roads” under sections 188 (disobedience of an order lawfully promulgated by a public servant), 341 (wrongful restraint), 506 (punishment for criminal intimidation), 353 (assault or use of criminal force to deter a public servant from discharging their official duty) and 186 (obstructing a public servant in the performance of official duties) of the Pakistan Penal Code as well as section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act.

Source: Greenpeace Statement –

BANGKOK, THAILAND, 18 September 2026 – As Gastech 2026 comes to a close in Bangkok, Greenpeace Thailand expressed disappointment that a conference framed around energy security and the energy transition has instead been accompanied by announcements that could deepen Thailand’s dependence on fossil gas and imported LNG for decades to come.

During Gastech 2026, Thailand’s Energy Minister Akanat Promphan announced the opening of the country’s 26th petroleum exploration bidding round, covering more than 60,200 square kilometres of high-potential deepwater areas. Thailand is also expanding its LNG import capacity from 19 million to 27 million tonnes as the government seeks to position the country as a regional energy connectivity hub [1].

By the end of the third day of Gastech 2026, memoranda of understanding, supply agreements and investment commitments with a combined estimated value of US$40 billion had been announced or advanced at the event. These agreements cover LNG supply, power generation, upstream development, petrochemicals and shipping, including long-term LNG supply and gas infrastructure [2].

Yet growing reliance on LNG also brings economic risks. Speaking at Gastech, PTTEP warned that every US$3 per MMBtu increase in LNG prices could raise Thai electricity prices by around 5%. Thailand currently relies on LNG for around 30% of its power generation, and around half of the LNG it purchases comes from the spot market, leaving the country more exposed to global price shocks [3].

Manun Wongmasoh, Climate and Energy Campaigner at Greenpeace Thailand, said:

“Growing electricity demand from AI and data centres should not become another justification for expanding fossil gas. Thailand should not allow the growth of the digital economy to lock the country into decades of fossil fuel dependence. New electricity demand must be met without creating a new wave of fossil gas infrastructure that could remain in place for decades.

There is also an economic cost. If every US$3 increase in LNG prices could raise Thai electricity prices by around 5%, greater dependence on imported LNG should not simply be presented as energy security. Energy security should protect people from volatile global fuel prices, not expose them to greater risk.”

As Gastech 2026 closes in Bangkok, Greenpeace Thailand calls on the government to move away from further fossil gas expansion and redirect investment towards renewable energy, energy efficiency, energy storage and modernised power grids, while ensuring meaningful participation of communities in decisions shaping Thailand’s energy future. Gastech may leave Bangkok, but the energy choices made today will remain with people and communities for decades to come. 

Notes to editors

[1] Government Public Relations Department, “Thailand Opens New Gas Exploration Bidding Round at Gastech 2026,” 15 September 2026: https://thailand.prd.go.th/en/content/category/detail/id/2078/iid/541579

[2] Dmg events, “Gastech 2026 in Bangkok Converts Global Energy Ambition into Billions of Dollars in Deals,” 17 September 2026: https://www.prnewswire.com/in/news-releases/gastech-2026-in-bangkok-converts-global-energy-ambition-into-billions-of-dollars-in-deals-302881057.html

[3] Reuters, “Thailand’s PTTEP says every $3 rise in LNG prices could lift Thai power prices by 5%,” 16 September 2026: reuters.com/business/energy/thailands-pttep-says-every-3-rise-lng-prices-could-lift-thai-power-prices-by-5-2026-09-16/

Media Contact:

Somrudee Panasudtha, Senior Communications Campaigner, Greenpeace Southeast Asia (Thailand Office), +66 81 929 5747, [email protected]

Source: Greenpeace Statement –

Kinshasa, 18 September 2026 – Greenpeace Africa and its partners released an open letter addressed to the President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), His Excellency Félix-Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo, calling on him to take concrete action to safeguard the integrity of the Kivu-Kinshasa Green Corridor (KKGC) from the expansion of new oil, gas and mining projects.

The call comes ahead of the 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly and Climate Week NYC, as the DRC prepares once again to present itself on the international stage as a “Solution Country” in addressing global climate and environmental challenges. This ambition must now be matched by greater consistency between the country’s international commitments and decisions taken at national level.

Created by Decree No. 25/01 of 15 January. 2025, the Kivu-Kinshasa Green Corridor is one of the DRC’s flagship conservation and sustainable development initiatives. However, an analysis published by Greenpeace Africa in July 2026 highlighted significant overlaps between the Corridor’s conservation objectives and extractive activities.

According to the analysis, mining permits cover 12.3 million hectares, representing 23% of the Green Corridor, directly putting 3.4 million hectares of protected areas at risk. In addition, 72% of the Green Corridor is covered by 28 oil blocks. This extractive pressure threatens sensitive ecosystems, including peatlands and primary forests, as well as community forests and the traditional territories of Indigenous Peoples and local communities.

“The Kivu-Kinshasa Green Corridor cannot carry an ambition for conservation while remaining exposed to the expansion of new extractive projects. The DRC has a historic opportunity to demonstrate that its international climate leadership is also reflected in strong decisions at home. Protecting the Green Corridor means protecting our forests, peatlands, biodiversity and the rights of the communities that depend on them.” said Professor Georges Milumbu, Country Director, Greenpeace Africa

From international ambition to national action

Greenpeace Africa and its partners are calling on President Tshisekedi to establish a moratorium on new oil, gas and mining projects within the Kivu-Kinshasa Green Corridor.

The organisation is also calling for extractive activities to be excluded from primary forests, peatlands, protected areas, community lands and the traditional territories of Indigenous Peoples and local communities. Greenpeace Africa further calls for inclusive governance of the Corridor that guarantees the effective participation of Indigenous Peoples and local communities, respects their land rights and upholds their free, prior and informed consent. Finally, it calls for consistency between the DRC’s conservation policies, climate and biodiversity commitments, and decisions concerning the use of natural resources.

“This is not about questioning the ambition behind the Kivu-Kinshasa Green Corridor. On the contrary, it is about giving an initiative of this importance the credibility and consistency it deserves. The Green Corridor can become a global symbol of the DRC’s environmental leadership, but its purpose must be protected from contradictions that could undermine it.” added Toussaint Molenge, Congo Basin Forest and Biodiversity Lead

As world leaders gather for major international events this September, Greenpeace Africa and its partners are calling on President Tshisekedi to send a clear political message: the vision of the Kivu-Kinshasa Green Corridor is not compatible with the expansion of new extractive projects.

**ENDS**

Notes to Editors:
The Greenpeace Africa open letter to the President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo is dated 18 September 2026. It follows a policy brief published by Greenpeace Africa in July 2026, which raised concerns about governance challenges and overlapping rights and land uses within the Kivu-Kinshasa Green Corridor.

Media Contact:

Raphael Mavambu, Communication & Storytelling Manager, [email protected], Greenpeace Africa

Source: Amnesty International –

Ahead of planned demonstrations marking one year since mass anti-corruption protests took place in the Philippines on 21 September 2025, Ritz Lee Santos III, Executive Director of Amnesty International Philippines, said:

“As people prepare to take to the streets once more to demand accountability for corruption, Philippine authorities must ensure the right to peaceful assembly is protected and refrain from using excessive force. The authorities must not repeat the mistakes of last year’s violent response to peaceful protest.

“One year on, protesters arrested during the 2025 demonstrations continue to face charges, while authorities have failed to thoroughly, independently and impartially investigate allegations of police violence.

“Charges against those who exercised their right to peaceful assembly should be immediately dropped. Any use of force by police must be strictly necessary, proportionate and in line with international human rights standards.

“Instead of arresting activists and criminalizing dissent, the authorities must address the reason people are returning to the streets: they must act decisively and transparently on the country’s corruption scandal. Filipinos should not have to choose between demanding accountability and protecting themselves from state violence.”

Source: Greenpeace Statement –

SYDNEY, Friday 18 September 2026 — In response to the Federal and NSW government’s announcement to commence an assessment of NSW forestry under the new national nature laws, Adele Chasson, Nature Policy Lead at Greenpeace Australia Pacific said: 

“This is the Federal Government’s chance to fix a broken system that has enabled the destruction of NSW’s precious forests for far too long. 

“Native forest logging continues to smash threatened species habitat. In NSW, it is pushing unique wildlife like koalas, greater gliders and glossy black cockatoos towards extinction. The state-owned logging agency has a disastrous record of environmental damage and breaches. 

“The Regional Forest Agreement (RFA) system has failed, allowing the industrial logging of special forests for decades across Australia with no oversight. Thankfully, the Federal Government has started the process to finally remove the logging industry’s exemption from national nature laws. 

“It’s time for the Federal Government to deliver the protection that forests urgently need, and that Australians overwhelmingly want. The Government must ensure a thorough assessment of the devastating impacts of native forest logging in NSW, and establish strong environmental rules that states must follow. 

“These forests have been cared for by First Nations people for tens of thousands of years. They are some of the most biodiverse on the planet, store carbon, clean our air and water. It’s critical we protect them.” 

ENDS

Media contact: 

Kate O’Callaghan on 0406 231 892 or [email protected]

Source: Amnesty International –

Responding to the US State Department’s announcement in a statement yesterday that it has, for the second consecutive year, barred the high-level delegation of the State of Palestine, including Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas, from attending the UN General Assembly in New York, Amnesty International’s Senior Director for Research, Policy, Advocacy and Campaigns, Erika Guevara Rosas said: 

“The decision by the US State Department to deny visas to a high-level delegation of the State of Palestine to attend the 81^st session of the UN General Assembly must be reversed. The State Department’s statement makes it obvious: this decision is designed to punish the State of Palestine for pursuing international justice and accountability at international institutions, including through the International Criminal Court (ICC) and International Court of Justice (ICJ). This measure is part of a relentless campaign of reprisals against the very notion of international justice. 

This measure is part of a relentless campaign of reprisals against the very notion of international justice. 

Erika Guevara Rosas, Amnesty International

“The failure to respect and uphold international law and the ongoing assault, including through unilateral sanctions, on individuals or human rights groups committed to promoting international justice, as well as the utter disregard for binding orders and advisory opinions of the ICJ, arrest warrants issued by the ICC and UN General Assembly and UN Security Council resolutions, flagrantly undermine the international legal order. 

“As more member states are finally taking long overdue – albeit still jarringly insufficient – measures to end trade with Israel’s illegal settlements, they must also firmly stand against the US attempts to dismantle international justice and the very multilateralism upon which the UN system is premised. 

“Decisions like this, which constitute a clear violation of the UN Headquarters Agreement, are setting a dangerous precedent in which the US instrumentalizes its privilege as the host country of the UN to impose arbitrary restrictions on attending the UNGA, and other UN meetings. 

“Amnesty International reiterates its call on the US to immediately and unconditionally revoke sanctions it has imposed in relation to the ICC or on individuals and human rights groups fighting for international justice, including sanctions imposed on ICC judges, Palestinian human rights organizations and the UN Special Rapporteur on the Situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory. Instead of eroding international law, the US must use its immense leverage to pressure Israel to put an end to its unlawful occupation of Palestinian territory, dismantle its system of apartheid, and end its genocide against Palestinians in the Occupied Gaza Strip.” 

Source: Amnesty International –

Women Human Right Defenders (WHRDs) from around the world will be gathering in Geneva from 21 to 25 September, to learn about the UN Human Rights Council, advocate for their rights and amplify their own stories.

The week-long training, known as the Women Human Rights Advocacy Week, is co-organized by nine human rights organizations including Amnesty International (see below for full list). It is aimed at providing participants with practical tools to understand the Human Rights Council, while offering guidance on how to engage with it strategically and advocate for change in their communities.

“The women attending are risking their lives every day to protect their communities from climate change, greedy corporations and land theft,” said Lisa Maracani, Amnesty International’s researcher on human rights defenders. “Their knowledge is crucial to ensuring bodies such as the Human Rights Council remain effective, while the WHRD Advocacy Week is designed to provide these women with the tools and strategies to advance their advocacy on this global stage.”

The women attending [this meeting] are risking their lives every day to protect their communities from climate change, greedy corporations and land theft.

Lisa Maracani, Amnesty International’s researcher on human rights defenders

Participants attending are WHRDs working at the nexus of gender, climate and conflict, and includes activists protecting the environment, the rights of women migrant workers, Indigenous land rights, as well as the rights of communities impacted by businesses activities.

The training aims to facilitate participation for activists who face multiple barriers to accessing the UN, to equip participants with a broad knowledge of the human rights system, to foster networks among them as well as between them and human rights experts, and to amplify their voices and calls for international accountability.

Participants will be able to speak before the Human Rights Council, and meet with, lobby and inform UN officials, diplomats and Council-mandated independent experts. Several participating defenders will also speak at a public event at the UN headquarters on Thursday 24 September alongside the UN Special Rapporteur on the human right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment.

“The UN human rights system must be open to and informed by those who have most to contribute to it: human rights defenders,” said Fabiana Leibl, programme manager for the International Service for Human Rights. “With this training, we seek to make sure the perspectives of women human rights defenders are effectively represented at the Human Rights Council’s and across its key mechanisms.”

NOTES TO EDITORS

This event has been organized by: Amnesty International, Asia Pacific Forum on Women (APWLD), Front Line Defenders Rights, International Service for Human (ISHR), Peace Brigade International (PBI), The Association for Women’s Rights in Development (AWID), Women Human Rights Defenders International Coalition (WHRDIC), WHRD Middle East and North Africa Coalition (WHRD MENA Coalition), Urgent Action Fund for Feminist Activism (UAF).

Source: Greenpeace Statement –

SYDNEY, Thursday 17 September 2026 — Greenpeace Australia Pacific has slammed AI giant Anthropic’s deal for its first Australian site in Queensland’s Western Downs, the heart of coal seam gas country, saying the project will entrench gas and turbocharge climate pollution.

The expected electricity demand from the data centre site, situated in the middle of the Western Downs coal seam gas fields, is comparable to 1.5 million Australian households. Greenpeace’s report Energy Vampires: The AI data centres draining Australia called for a moratorium on frenzied data centre development until appropriate guardrails are in place.

Joe Rafalowicz, Head of Climate and Energy at Greenpeace Australia Pacific, said: “This is an egregious example of Big Tech giants being given carte blanche to drain energy and water, and use polluting gas to fuel their hyperscale data centres.

“AI and Big Tech corporations claim to bring new renewable energy to the grid, while blatantly planning to power their operations with polluting fossil fuels. 

“Planning documents show the first stage of this behemoth project could be powered by ‘behind the metre’ gas — the same playbook AI companies have used in the US, leading to a 20% increase in climate pollution from electricity. Now these companies want to bring their cowboy plans to Australia and the Federal Government is allowing it.

“If they plugged into the local grid, the power required would increase Queensland’s electricity grid emissions by around 6.6 million tonnes — an 18% rise. If they build their own gas-fired power plants, this will drive up Queensland’s emissions even more.

“Billions of dollars are now pouring into a massive pipeline of proposed new data centres, of unprecedented size, being built at incredible speed across the country. Australians should be worried about the extreme lack of scrutiny being applied to these projects, and the corporations leading the data centre charge.

“The data centre build-out is happening without the endorsement of the Australian people, yet we are the ones who will pay the price. We can not allow unchecked data centre expansion to derail our renewable energy transition, entrench gas and turbocharge climate pollution — that’s why Greenpeace has called for an urgent moratorium until appropriate guardrails are in place.”

ENDS

Media contact: Kate O’Callaghan on 0406 231 892 or [email protected]