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 [...]

Qatar’s new labor reforms, which take effect Tuesday, fail to provide adequate protections for migrant workers, Amnesty International (AI) said in a report released Monday. The country replaced it previous 2009 sponsorship law with Law No. 21 of 2015 . The report claims the new labor laws barely address labor exploitation because they still allow [...]

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein on Tuesday accused Syrian pro-government forces of going door to door and systematically killing civilians in at least four neighborhoods. The killings have reportedly resulted in at least the deaths of 82 civilians, including 13 children. The situation on the ground is causing residents to [...]

The US Supreme Court denied review of two class action lawsuit settlements Monday related to concussion injuries suffered by players in the National Football League . The $1 billion settlement between the NFL and more than 20,000 retired players has been challenged by some of those players in two different suits, Armstrong vs. National Football [...]

Kyrgyzstan’s Central Election Commission on Sunday announced that a referendum to give the government more power has passed. The referendum gives more control to the prime minister by bestowing the ability to dismiss cabinet members without the advice or consent of the president. President Almazbek Atambayev sponsored the referendum and many believe it is because [...]