The job of state attorney general (AG) resides at the intersection of electoral politics and legal proficiency. As the chief legal officer of their respective state, commonwealth, or territory, AGs are popularly elected in 43 states, the District of Columbia, Guam, and the Northern Mariana Islands, and appointed by either the governor, legislature, or judiciary in the [...]
A UN human rights expert on Wednesday highlighted the role of aid workers, urging states not to criminalize such efforts in the name of combating terrorism. According to the expert, because there is no “globally agreed definition of terrorism” or what constitutes support for terrorism, states have argued that acts of humanitarian aid can be [...]
A UN human rights expert on Thursday urged the Japanese government to delay the relocation of evacuees from the Fukushima Disaster back to their homes over concerns about ongoing toxic waste. “Many feel they are being forced to return to areas that are unsafe, including those with radiation levels above what the Government previously considered [...]
Amnesty International India called Thursday for an independent and impartial investigation into the killing of seven people in a blast in Kulgam on Sunday. Kulgam, a district of Kashmir and Jammu, is the site of ongoing conflict between Lashkar-e-Taiba, which translates to “Army of the Pure,” and the Indian government. According to a Stanford report, [...]
The US Department of Justice (DOJ) announced Wednesday that Chevron has agreed to settle with the federal government and Mississippi for claims regarding violations of the Clean Air Act. The settlement will require safety improvements at all of its petroleum refineries across the US to prevent “accidental releases of hazardous chemicals that can have serious [...]
The UN Special Rapporteur on human rights in Iran on Wednesday urged Iran to respond to social challenges in the country by putting international human rights law at the center of a government response. Javaid Rehman was appointed Special Rapporteur on human rights in Iran in July. He recently presented his report to the General Assembly [...]
US President Donald Trump signed the SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Act into law Wednesday, a measure to combat the opioid crisis by reducing drug demand through education, awareness and prevention efforts, enhancing treatment and recovery, and cutting off the supply from traffickers. The act has been deemed “the single largest legislative package addressing a single drug crisis [...]
Tomas Ojea Quintana, the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, said Wednesday that although there has not been any improvement in the human rights situation in the country, these rights should continue to be an “essential” part of any strategy aimed at building a lasting peace [...]
The UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar presented a report to the UN General Assembly Wednesday criticizing Myanmar’s languishing path to a democratic transition. Special Rapporteur Lee Yanghee’s report criticized the government’s record and ongoing efforts to restrict freedom of the press, freedom of speech, the right to assemble and religious [...]
Michael Lynk, UN Special Rapporteur for human rights in the occupied Palestinian territory called Wednesday for the international community to enforce annexation provisions of international law against Israel to halt their occupation of the West Bank. Lynk expressed concern about the continuing economic and social collapse of Gaza, stating: The United Nations stated in 2012 [...]
