The US Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit ruled Friday that New Jersey’s bans on assault firearms and magazines holding more than 10 rounds violate the Second Amendment, marking the first time a federal appeals court has struck down a state assault weapons ban. Sitting en banc, the court was divided 10-5. Writing for [...]

UN experts on Friday warned that the recent earthquakes in Venezuela have exacerbated its humanitarian and human rights crisis, and urged authorities to remove regulatory barriers to humanitarian aid and relief provided by non-profits and NGOs. The UN called on Venezuela and the international community to remove restrictions and respect civil society as a “key [...]

A group of 31 international human rights organizations on Friday called on the EU and its member states to end their cooperation with Libyan authorities on migration control. The groups expressed alarm at plans to strengthen cooperation with the rival authorities in Eastern and Western Libya, which both have a longstanding record of grave rights abuses [...]

Human Rights Watch on Friday warned of the dangerously deteriorating economic state in Afghanistan. Millions of citizens are at risk of severe hunger due to a sharp decline in international aid and restrictive Taliban policies that target women and hinder humanitarian access. Statistics from the United Nations indicate that 46 percent of Afghanistan’s citizens will [...]

A coalition of 20 state attorneys general on Friday urged a federal judge to dismiss a Trump administration lawsuit that seeks to halt disciplinary proceedings against Jeffrey Clark. Former US assistant attorney general Clark faces disbarment over his apparent collaboration in attempts to overturn the 2020 presidential election. In their brief, the attorneys general argued [...]

UN Special Rapporteur Morris Tidball-Binz on Friday condemned the killing of 20 Honduran peasants earlier this year, and called for those responsible to be brought to justice. He also called for authorities to ensure that the victims’ families are provided with reparations, and take measures to ensure that there will be no further outbreaks of [...]

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk on Friday urged calm and restraint amid escalating unrest ahead of regional elections in Pakistan-administered Kashmir, emphasizing the need for impartial investigations into protest-related deaths and fir renewed political dialogue to address longstanding grievances. Türk expressed concern over increasing violence in the region as tensions continue to [...]

The UN warned on Friday that Djibouti is facing severe emergency-level hunger following the release of a report on the food insecurity situation in the East African country. The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) Index report projected that between July and December 2026, more than 25 percent of Djibouti’s population, 256,000 people, are facing [...]

Amnesty International on Friday urged member states of the African Union to continue providing political, legal and financial support to the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights (African Court), to enable the Court to carry out its mandate more effectively across the continent. In light of the Court’s 20th anniversary, which fell on July [...]

Amnesty International on Friday condemned the Portuguese Parliament’s recent announcement that it had passed a new law prohibiting the donning of face coverings in public areas, a decision that carries repercussions for fundamental civil liberties and individual autonomy in the country. João Godinho Martins, the executive director of Amnesty International in Portugal, stated: “Far from [...]