US states sued President Donald Trump’s administration Monday over its new rule that would exclude from the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program employers that the Department of Education found to have a “substantial illegal purpose.” The complaint, filed in the US District Court for the District of Massachusetts by 22 states, alleged that the [...]
Amnesty International reported Monday that the Tanzanian government has shut down internet access and electric power, suppressing attempts to gather information about nationwide unrest following its October 29 elections. Vongai Chikwanda, deputy regional director for Amnesty, said: “Amnesty … is particularly alarmed by reports that amidst the blackouts, security forces have used excessive force to [...]
A US federal judge granted a preliminary injunction on Sunday that blocks the Trump administration from deploying the National Guard to Oregon, Texas and California until 5 p.m. Friday. District Court Judge Karin Immergut in Portland, a first-term Trump appointee, found that the administration’s federalization and proposed deployment of National Guard troops to Oregon in [...]
Human Rights Watch (HRW) on Monday released a report documenting widespread obstetric violence faced by women giving birth in public healthcare facilities in Sierra Leone. In its 80-page report, “No Money, No Care: Obstetric Violence in Sierra Leone,” HRW interviewed over 50 postpartum women who suffered health complications because of delayed and denied care due to [...]
UN leaders on Sunday called for safety and justice for journalists globally, urging governments to conduct investigations and ensure the protection of all media professionals. UN Secretary-General António Guterres delivered the message to mark the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists. Guterres stated that nearly nine out of every ten journalist-killings remain [...]
The US Department of Agriculture will provide half of normal food assistance in November rather than suspend the program entirely, according to a court filing Monday responding to federal judges’ orders during the ongoing government shutdown. The agency will distribute $4.65 billion in contingency funds, which will cover half of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) [...]
The foreign ministers of Germany, Jordan and the UK on Saturday jointly called for an immediate ceasefire in Sudan, describing the humanitarian crisis there as “desperate” and “apocalyptic.” This follows the reports of the capture of El Fasher, the capital of Sudan’s North Darfur state, by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), and a sharp escalation [...]
US President Donald Trump on Saturday said that he has ordered the Pentagon, or the “Department of War,” to prepare contingency plans for potential military action in Nigeria. Trump alleged that the Nigerian government has failed to protect Christian communities from violent extremist attacks. Trump stated on social media: “If the Nigerian Government continues to [...]
A New York judge on Friday dismissed a lawsuit by Texas that sought to enforce a six-figure civil judgment against a physician for unlawfully prescribing an abortion medication to a patient in the state. In the order, New York State Supreme Court Justice David M. Gandin ruled Ulster County Clerk Taylor Bruck acted lawfully in [...]
Advocacy groups in Illinois filed a class action lawsuit against US federal authorities on Friday over “inhumane” conditions at a Chicago-area Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility, claiming violations of detainees’ constitutional rights as well as federal regulations. The plaintiffs’ lawyers—from the MacArthur Justice Center, the ACLU of Illinois, and the Chicago office of law [...]
