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National

The UN published a report Friday highlighting summary executions, torture, and other instances in which Russia and Ukraine violated international human rights laws in their treatment of prisoners of war.

The big picture: The report comes after another UN report last week found that Russian forces in Ukraine committed an array of violations that amount to war crimes and possible crimes against humanity.

Details: The most recent report by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights is based on interviews with more than 400 POWs and focuses on how they were treated in the one-year period since Russia attacked Ukraine.

Those interviewed include Ukrainian POWs who have been released as well as Russians held captive in Ukraine.

UN monitors said they were not given "confidential access" to POWs held by Russia.

What they found: The monitors documented violations that "may constitute war crimes" in the treatment of POWs.

Instances under Russia's control include the "summary executions of 15 POWs, the use of POWs as human shields, the deaths of two wounded men POWs due to a lack of medical care, and torture or other ill-treatment to extract information," per the report.

The monitors also "documented a widespread practice of pillage of belongings of POWs and evacuation in inhuman conditions, such as in overcrowded vehicles with hands tied and eyes covered, without access to water or toilets."

The monitors interviewed 24 women POWs held by Russia as well, finding that 17 of them "were subjected to beatings, electrocution, forced nudity, cavity searches and threats of sexual violence."

Meanwhile, the monitors documented the summary executions of at least 25 Russian POWs at the hands of Ukrainian forces. 

"OHCHR also documented cases of torture or other forms of ill-treatment against 113 POWs, many of them involving beatings, kicking or, to a lesser extent, stabbing," the report says.

Of note: Ill-treatment of POWs took place on both sides, but was it was far more common against Ukrainians, AP reports.

What they're saying: Matilda Bogner, head of the U.N. monitoring mission in Ukraine, noted at a news conference in Kyiv that while both sides committed abuses, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine was at the core of the violence against civilians and POWs, per AP.

Go deeper: Report: Russia relocated 6,000 Ukrainian children for reeducation

Report: Russia relocated 6,000 Ukrainian children for reeducation

UN report: Ukrainian and Russian POWs faced torture, executions

Ukrainian prisoners of war were more likely to face ill-treatment, the UN found.

A group of Russian prisoners of war are pictured in a Ukrainian colony on Jan. 17. Photo: Mykhaylo Palinchak/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images

Russian invasion of Ukraine

Ukraine

Russia

Conflicts, policies and powers are intersecting and shaping the world. Breaking news and analysis of national security, foreign policy and global crises.

World

Macro

Axios Macro

The U.S. banking system appears to be stabilized, for now, following extraordinary government actions to head off an all-out disaster after Silicon Valley Bank's failure.

Yes, but: Wall Street economists and the Fed increasingly expect fallout from that collapse to linger in the months ahead, as regional and community banks ease up on lending activity.

Why it matters: The economy runs on credit and loans. Should that activity slow or grind to a halt, there would be domino effects for hiring, spending and more — particularly if banks that are the most active lenders to small and midsize businesses are forced to retrench.

The backdrop: Before the banking turmoil in recent weeks got underway, banks were already tightening up on lending. 

A quarterly survey of loan officers by the Fed showed that a net 40% reported tighter standards for loans to businesses in the final quarter of last year. Excluding the onset of the pandemic, that's the highest share to say so since 2009.

The big picture: Banks face the risk of a two-pronged problem. Unfortunately, those are assets and liabilities.

That is to say, credit conditions could tighten as people pull bank deposits (which are liabilities) and because of further losses on loans and securities (assets).

State of play: Total bank deposits have been falling for nearly a year — to $17.6 trillion last week from $18.1 trillion last April — as Americans shift money out of bank accounts that pay little interest to higher-yielding savings vehicles, like Treasury bills and money market mutual funds.

If that accelerates due to fears for deposit safety, it would cause affected banks to shrink the asset side of their balance sheet, mostly by making fewer loans.

A shift away from smaller banks toward bigger ones leaves overall numbers steady, but would still restrict the availability of credit for the kinds of smaller business and real estate investors that rely on community banks.

What they're saying: "Banks might basically say, 'we can't make as many loans' because they fear they won't be liquid enough to pay out the deposits," says Kathy Bostjancic, chief economist at Nationwide.

Banks might also worry that after the banking crisis, regulators and supervisors may scrutinize them even more closely, making them more wary of expanding their balance sheets.

Between the lines: Businesses would have a more difficult time accessing the cash necessary to hire more workers or spend on new equipment needed to expand the business. Consumers, too, might have a more difficult time getting a loan.

On a large enough scale, that would ripple out to the labor market and consumer demand, and in turn may help cool price gains.

The bottom line: No one knows, however, how big of a credit crunch is ahead and to what extent it will crimp economic activity.

Economists at Goldman Sachs say that tighter lending would result in a drag of as much as a half-percentage point on U.S. growth over his year.

But economists there warn the drag could be greater, "particularly in the event of further bank failures, significant regulatory changes, or continued deposit outflows that increase the sensitivity of lending to bank capital."

How the banking crisis could ripple through the economy

Wall Street economists and the Fed increasingly expect fallout from that collapse to linger in the months ahead.

Illustration of dollar bill stacks as a line of dominos.

Banking

Top stories & latest news on the Federal Reserve, real-time data, plus the biggest shifts happening in the U.S. and global economy.

Economy

After a record economic expansion, the coronavirus pandemic sent the U.S. economy into a recession as unemployment soared to staggering heights. The country now faces urgent questions about how much stimulus is needed for reeling consumers and businesses, and what a recovery might look like.

Economy & Business

San Francisco

Axios San Francisco

Asian Americans' psychological state over the last few years has been one of hypervigilance and pretending — constantly having to act as if everything is "business as usual" even amid high-profile anti-Asian attacks and the aftereffects of collective trauma, health advocates and experts tell Axios.

Driving the news: Though Asian Americans have always faced racism in the U.S., the spike in anti-Asian hate of the last few years has brought on a crisis of its own. 

Now, with the two-year anniversary of the Atlanta spa shootings casting a long shadow, data shows that the longer-term impacts of living in a state of heightened fear are emerging.

The big picture: People often assume that Asian Americans don't need support systems due to "remnants of the model minority myth that are still so prevalent in today's society," said Sy Stokes, the vice president of research at the nonprofit research thinktank Coqual.

But as Asian Americans across the country continue to grapple with acts of violence, many say cracks are appearing in ways that are interfering with their ability to live their everyday lives.  

"I don't think we've yet to contend with what that meant ... like feeling like I can't leave my house or go to the grocery store without being afraid that someone is going to say something or assault me," Theresa Nguyen, the nonprofit Mental Health America's chief research officer, told Axios. 

Older Asian Americans, who are less likely to be fluent in English, have been especially vulnerable, noted Joon Bang, CEO of the nonprofit Iona Senior Services. They "live with that grief, of not being able to communicate or not even being heard," Bang said.

By the numbers: More than one in three Asian professionals feel that their relationships with managers or coworkers are "negatively impacted by the ongoing violence," according to a January report released by Coqual.

The study, which surveyed over 820 people of Asian descent, found that 62% of Asian professionals say their sense of safety traveling to and from work has decreased.

Moreover, 36% say they have experienced racial prejudice at their current or former companies. 

Zoom in: Another survey of 1,697 AAPI university students found that over a quarter reported experiencing COVID-related racial or ethnic discrimination — of these respondents, over two-thirds met the criteria for at least one clinically significant mental health condition. 

COVID-related discrimination was also associated with higher odds of having depression, anxiety, self-harm and suicidal ideation.

People often forget that encountering racism is a traumatic experience, said Nguyen, who is a licensed clinical social worker. People of color then integrate those experiences into their narratives and identity formation.

Yes, but: Only 26% of Asian professionals from the Coqual report feel that their company or institution is "very vocal" about the issue of hate.

The data affirms a broad swath of Asian Americans' experiences, according to Stokes. "It is dreadful," he told Axios. "When no one acknowledges that you're not able to bring your full self into the workplace for that day, it feels dismissive."

Students have also raised concerns about the lack of support offered at schools, where many say racial traumas go unacknowledged. Several told Axios that their school hadn't offered counseling to Asian students or even released statements on anti-Asian violence.

"Regardless of where you live it does affect you, especially emotionally," said James Lam, a sophomore at Ayala High School in California.

If schools made clear there were support systems readily available — such as mental health care or community violence services —"it would help a lot of students feel more safe whether or not they actually need to use the resources," Lam added.

Worth noting: Many immigrants and their children are conditioned to believe that in order to survive, "suppressing your needs is the right thing to do for your family unit," Nguyen added. "That makes open communication about these factors harder."

Because Asians are often left out of the discourse around institutional policies involving diversity, equity and inclusion, even when resources are offered they're usually not targeted to the people impacted by the violence, Stokes pointed out.

"You have to meet people where they're at, and people spend more time at schools and in the workplace than we do even at home," Nguyen noted.

The bottom line: The Asian American mental health crisis isn't going away anytime soon — and "the worst thing that can happen is just that it doesn't get talked about at all," Nguyen said.

The unseen Asian American mental health crisis

Only one in four of Asian professionals feel that their company or institution is "very vocal" about the issue of hate.

Photo of two protesters, one holding a sign that says "Am I next?" while the other holds a sign that says "Yes"

Demonstrators hold signs while participating at a rally against anti-Asian hate on March 27, 2021, in Chamblee, Ga. Photo: Elijah Nouvelage/AFP via Getty Images

Asian Americans

2024 will be an election year like no other, as President Biden seeks re-election amid economic uncertainty, two wars and questions about his age. His likely foe, former President Trump, faces felony charges and vows revenge on his political enemies. Meanwhile, Americans generally are dissatisfied with those choices and are divided over immigration, race, education and more.

Politics & Policy

The U.S. health system faces critical questions about cost, access and equity. Technological advances and new discoveries about diseases like cancer and Alzheimer’s are transforming patient care and reshaping public health.

Health

The small Pacific island country of Vanuatu is poised to gain UN approval to seek an unprecedented legal opinion on what obligation countries have to combat climate change.

Why it matters: Vanuatu's resolution would give the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague a chance to weigh in on potential consequences for nations that have caused much of global warming to date.

The nonbinding advisory opinion could be cited by U.S. courts, and used in legal proceedings around the world.

The big picture: The push started in a law school classroom in Fiji four years ago, according to Cynthia Houniuhi, president of  Pacific Islands Students Fighting Climate Change.

She and her international environmental law classmates brainstormed ways to seek action through various legal mechanisms, Houniuhi told reporters on a press call Thursday.

Propelled by youth activism, the effort to gain adoption by the UN General Assembly has been led by the Vanuatu government since 2021. The resolution, with a vote expected on March 29, has over 100 co-sponsors.

The intrigue: The questions the resolution asks the court are deliberately framed to avoid singling out large, industrialized countries responsible for the vast majority of historical global emissions.

This has helped the proposal gain steam in the General Assembly, picking up co-sponsors such as the U.K. and EU nations such as Norway. Australia recently signed on as well.

As a low-lying country, Vanuatu is acutely vulnerable to climate impacts. It is currently in a six-month state of emergency after two powerful tropical cyclones hit within one week in late February and early March.

The damage from those storms alone is expected to be half of Vanuatu's annual GDP, said Ralph Regenvanu, the country's top climate change and disaster risk management official.

Between the lines: Sandra Nichols Thiam, a climate litigation specialist at the nonprofit Environmental Law Institute, said an ICJ advisory opinion would be significant despite its nonbinding status. 

"This could be a really big deal," she told Axios in an interview. 

Thiam said U.S. courts routinely cite international law in their decisions, and this could help establish countries' responsibility to act on climate change in ways consistent with the scientific evidence.

This is a stricter standard than other climate cases seeking to hold governments accountable for meeting their commitments to date, Thiam added.

The case could help establish the goals that countries need to aim for based on their responsibilities for causing the problem, she added.

What they're saying: Odo Tevi, Vanuatu's UN ambassador, said his country pursued an inclusive process to build consensus around the resolution, and that countries are recognizing its importance.

"It touches on the fundamental issue," he said, which is "about protecting the present, and future generations."

What we're watching: Whether the U.S. throws its weight behind the resolution. 

A State Department spokesperson tells Axios discussions are ongoing, and there was "nothing to preview or share at this time."

Tiny island nation takes climate change to The Hague

The case could establish countries' legal responsibilities to protect the climate.

Illustration of Port Vila, the capital of Vanuatu, with a microphone pointed towards it.

Climate change

Breaking climate science and policy coverage as extreme weather events reshape communities. Keep tabs on the race to a low carbon economy, which may be bumpy as governments, climate tech startups and major oil and gas companies race to find their niche amid the changing energy landscape.

Energy & Climate

Once upon a time, "too big to fail" was shorthand to villainize big banks — these days, it's a way to say "your money is safe."

How "too big to fail" banks became a symbol of safety

Not that long ago, these banks were the villains that nearly cratered the economy.

Axios

Friday's top stories

UN report: Ukrainian and Russian POWs faced torture, executions

How the banking crisis could ripple through the economy

The unseen Asian American mental health crisis

Tiny island nation takes climate change to The Hague

How "too big to fail" banks became a symbol of safety

Why America was uniquely vulnerable to COVID

State public option plans keep hitting obstacles

Rioter who stormed Pelosi's office sentenced to 3 years in prison

Utah becomes first state to sign law limiting kids' social media use

Axios Finish Line: Confronting bad managers

Sen. Lindsey Graham admonished in rare move by Senate ethics panel