Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau introduced legislation Tuesday that would ban transgender discrimination, including it within Canada’s hate crime laws. In his announcement of the legislation, Trudeau stated “everyone deserves to live free of stigma, persecution and discrimination today is about ensuring that all people … feel safe and secure and empowered to freely express [...]
The US Senate unanimously approved a bill on Tuesday that would let the families of those killed in the September 11 attacks sue Saudi Arabia for any role it had in the terrorist plot. The Saudi government has warned that if such legislation passes it may begin selling off up to $750 billion in Treasury [...]
Islamic State (IS) militants have executed 49 people in the Libyan city of Sirte since seizing control in February 2015, Human Rights Watch (HRW) reported Wednesday. According to the report, IS has taken control of all aspects of life in Sirte with their strict interpretation of Islamic law. Residents of the city reported public beheadings, [...]
The Louisiana state Senate voted to pass House Bill 1081 on Tuesday, banning dilation and evacuation abortion procedures. The bill was approved by the state house in April and is waiting to be signed by Governor John Bel Edwards who has expressed his intentions to sign the bill. The procedure is commonly referred to as [...]
A judge for the US District Court for the District of Kansas ruled Tuesday that Kansas cannot require voters to provide proof of citizenship when registering to vote. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) had challenged the law in February on behalf of six individuals. The ACLU argued that the law violates the National Voter [...]
A judge for the US District Court for the Northern District of California on Tuesday rejected an attempt to block a San Francisco law that requires health warning labels on ads for sugary drinks. The law, approved by City Council last year, requires health warning labels reading, “WARNING: Drinking beverages with added sugar(s) contributes to [...]
Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto on Tuesday signed an initiative that would amend the country’s constitution to legalize same-sex marriage nationwide. Marking the national day against homophobia, Peña Nieto tweeted “I signed reform initiatives to promote marriage equality and its addition to the Constitution and the Federal Civil Code.” The proposal still requires congressional approval. [...]
A Swedish court sentenced a man to life in prison on Monday for taking part in the 1994 Rwandan genocide . The Stockholm District Court determined that Claver Berinkindi was guilty of genocide and gross crime under international law consisting of murder, kidnapping and attempted murder. More than 800,000 people were killed by Hutus over [...]
A federal judge issued a preliminary injunction on Tuesday that halted the enforcement of a provision of Washington, DC’s strict gun laws. Judge Richard Leon of the US District Court for the District of Columbia stated that “the enshrinement of constitutional rights necessarily takes certain policy choices off the table” and that the district’s attempt [...]
The US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit ruled Monday that the Second Amendment protects the right to buy and sell firearms. Three individuals challenged an Alameda County, California, ordinance that prohibits gun shops from being located within 500 feet of a residentially zoned district. The court held that while the ordinance might well [...]
