Hopeless in Kurdistan, Palestinian Prisoners, HRC Parts with Weapons Makers, and More

Hello, everyone.

I’ve got to start this week off again with asking for your help. Inkstick has just launched our annual fundraising campaign with NewsMatch, and our nonprofit newsroom relies on reader support to keep putting out the reporting other outlets don’t. If you can donate today, NewsMatch will double your contribution. If you chip in $50, Inkstick will receive $100. Make it $300, and Inkstick gets $600. All support will go directly toward our reporting work. Will you do us a solid and pitch in?

Your support will go toward reporting like the last week’s long read Inkstick regular Winthrop Rodgers wrote about the deep-seated hopelessness Iraqi Kurds have come to know so intimately. As he reports, political patronage, corruption, and years of economic pressure have left everyday people in Iraq’s semi-autonomous Kurdish region deeply disillusioned with their leaders.

Donate Today

Closer to home, Inkstick fellow Sophie Hurwitz reports on the end of the long relationship between defense industry contractors and the Human Rights Campaign, the largest LGBTQ+ advocacy group in the United States.

That’s not all we’ve got at Inkstick. And if you’re not already, please follow us on LinkedIn, Threads, Facebook, Instagram, Bluesky, and YouTube.

“In Iraqi Kurdistan, the Deep-Seated Politics of Hopelessness” by Winthrop Rodgers (Nov. 10)

Everyday people in Iraqi Kurdistan want to lead dignified lives, care for their loved ones, and speak out against the everyday injustices they face. Yet, the region’s two ruling parties impinge on every aspect of day-to-day life.

Bluesky this. Link this.

“What Can the US Learn from Tanzania’s Drift into Authoritarianism?” by Alaina Rudnick (Nov. 11)

A brutal post-election crackdown has left hundreds dead in Tanzania, as US officials and Western media remain largely silent about a president once hailed as progress. The country’s authoritarian slide also offers salient lessons as the US targets dissent.

Bluesky this. Link this.

“The Fall of El-Fasher: Sudan’s Civil War Enters a New Phase” by Dan M. Ford (Nov. 12)

Following a siege that lasted about 18 months, the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) overran a Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) base on Oct. 26 to gain control over el-Fasher, the capital of Sudan’s North Darfur province.

Bluesky this. Link this.

“My Father Is One of Thousands Disappeared in Israel’s Prisons” by Basil Farraj (Nov. 13)

The brutal conditions inside Israeli prisons have led to the death of at least 78 Palestinian detainees due to violence, torture, and medical negligence since the war began. Since the Gaza war began more than two years ago, it’s become harder to contact those behind bars.

Bluesky this. Link this.

Donate Today

“Largest LGBTQ+ Rights Group in US Parts with Arms Manufacturers” by Sophie Hurwitz (Nov. 14)

The Human Rights Campaign, one of the wealthiest and most well-known LGBTQ+ advocacy organizations in the United States, no longer lists the weapons contractor Northrop Grumman among its sponsors, the group recently said.

Bluesky this. Link this.

“Deep Dive: How Vulnerable is the United States to Cyber Attacks?” by Inkstick (Nov. 14)

In a recent analysis, the US Army War College’s Parameters journal has taken a hard look at America’s cyber incident response architecture, arguing that the absence of a designated lead agency and inconsistent coordination mechanisms left the country vulnerable to escalating cyber threats.

Bluesky this. Link this.

Inkstick relies on donations, reader support, and fundraisers to exist. Please consider supporting our work. Thanks for being a part of Inkstick’s community.