The California Legislature on Friday enacted a ban on the use of plastic grocery bags in the state. The bill , if signed into law, will become the first law of its kind in the US. Some cities and counties within the state have successfully enacted the ban but the law had not yet passed [...]
US National Security Council spokesperson Caitlin Hayden announced on Friday that the White House is placing new sanctions on over 30 organizations and individuals with ties to Iran. The sanctions come as the US continues to negotiate with Iran regarding the future of the country’s controversial nuclear energy program. Five Iranian banks and several aviation [...]
The German Federal Ministry of the Interior on Friday published its revised proposal for a new IT security law. The draft law seeks to protect the privacy of German citizens and improve the IT security of companies operating in the country by imposing new minimum security requirements on telecommunications providers and operators of critical communications [...]
A judge for the US District Court for the Western District of Texas on Friday struck down a provision of a sweeping state anti-abortion law that Texas Governor Rick Perry signed into law in 2013. The provision, requiring Texas abortion clinics to meet hospital-level, ambulatory surgical center standards, would have resulted in the closing of [...]
The UK’s Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre (JTAC) on Friday changed the threat level for terrorist attacks against the UK from “substantial” to “severe,” indicating that a terrorist attack against the UK is highly likely, although there is no evidence to suggest an attack is imminent. In addition to the change in threat level, the office [...]
Five people brought a lawsuit on Thursday against the city of Ferguson , Missouri and several officials for the use of unnecessary and unwarranted force by St. Louis County Police and Ferguson Police against demonstrators protesting the shooting death of Michael Brown . The complaint describes the experiences of five protesters who were arrested during [...]
Ten victims of the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) extraordinary rendition program have signed an open letter to US President Barack Obama urging him to declassify the upcoming Senate Intelligence Committee’s report on the program. The letter, which was coordinated by international human rights charity Reprieve reads, in part: Despite living thousands of miles apart [...]
Kenya’s parliament passed a law on Wednesday that will provide greater support to victims of human trafficking and will make it easier to secure convictions for perpetrators. The Victim Protection Bill provides improved support to victims of crime, including the provision of a place of safety, food, medical treatment, psychosocial support and police protection. The [...]
Amnesty International (AI) called on Nepalese authorities to bring justice to the individuals responsible for the disappearance of the “Dhanusha Five” during the armed conflict in Nepal between 1996-2006. The report notes more than 1,300 people are believed to have disappeared during the conflict, and no suspects have been brought to justice in criminal court [...]
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay announced the findings of a report on Friday detailing the harsh war-like conditions in eastern Ukraine that have resulted in the deaths of hundreds of civilians in recent weeks. The report covers the time period of July 16 to August 17, and documents a number of serious [...]
