The Amsterdam District Court ruled on Wednesday that Crimean gold artifacts are to be returned to Ukraine and not Crimea. The artifacts, including gems, helmets and scabbards, were on loan to Amsterdam’s Allard Pierson Museum when Russia annexed Crimea from Ukraine in March 2014. Russian authorities argued that the artifacts should be in the possession [...]

The US Supreme Court granted certiorari in four cases Wednesday. The court consolidated the cases of Turner v. United States and Overton v. United States , limited to the question of “hether the petitioners’ convictions must be set aside under Brady v. Maryland .” Both cases involve the 1984 murder of Catherine Fuller. Petitioners were [...]

The Senate of Brazil on Tuesday approved a measure to limit growth in federal spending to the rate of inflation for the next 20 years. The austerity measure, known as PEC 55 establishes a tax regime that limits the amount on expenditures based on the previous fiscal year in order to curb spending and reduce [...]

The Mexican Senate on Tuesday approved the use of medical marijuana. The announcement was made on the official Senate twitter along with a video of the debate. Number-803 allows for the use of cannabis and it derivatives for medicinal purposes. The bill also removed the substance from the list of public health concerns. The vote [...]

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein warned Wednesday that South Sudan “teeters on the brink of a disaster.” Speaking before the Human Rights Council Special Session on South Sudan , Zeid called for urgent action. “The highest priority must urgently be given to protection for those most at risk from killings, [...]

The Oklahoma Supreme Court on Tuesday struck down a law requiring abortion providers to have admitting privileges at a hospital within 30 miles. Senate Bill 1848 was passed in 2014 and put on hold by the state Supreme Court. In its ruling Tuesday, the court found the “statute unconstitutional because it creates an undue burden [...]

Colombia’s Constitutional Court on Tuesday approved the government’s plan to expedite a peace deal with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) . The court ruled 8-1 to allow President Juan Manuel Santos to seek expedited congressional approval for the laws and constitutional changes needed for the peace agreement to take effect. Santos had argued [...]

Ohio Governor John Kasich signed a 20-week gestation limit for abortions into law Tuesday, while also vetoing the “Heartbeat Bill” , which would have banned abortions after a fetal heartbeat is detectable. The Ohio Legislature had passed the bill earlier this month, but Kasich has expressed concern over its constitutionality. As governor I have worked [...]

The US Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit on Tuesday affirmed a lower court ruling that upheld Virginia’s voter identification law. The plaintiffs challenged SB 1256 , which requires that voters have a valid form of ID either before voting or within three days after voting, alleging that it inhibits “equal participation by protected [...]

The Center for Reproductive Rights (CRR) filed a lawsuit Monday challenging new Texas regulations that would require the burial or cremation of aborted fetal remains. The new regulations, approved last week by the Texas Department of State Health Services , are set to take effect December 19 and would require the burial or cremation of [...]