Florida Governor Rick Scott on Monday signed a bill allowing a non-euphoric strain of marijuana to be used for the treatment of epilepsy, cancer and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The Compassionate Medical Cannabis Act garnered bipartisan support and was passed by the State Assembly this spring. Beginning in January of 2015 doctors will be able [...]

Apple on Monday reached an out-of-court settlement with the US Department of Justice , among other parties, regarding a class action lawsuit that accused the electronics company of illegally participating in a e-book price-fixing scheme. The company was found to have violated the Sherman Act and various state statutes in July 2013. Apple is currently [...]

The Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Syria warned the UN Human Rights Council on Tuesday that the continuing civil war in Syria conflict has “reached a tipping point, threatening the entire region.” The Commission was established by the UN Human Rights Council in August 2011 to investigate and record all violations of international human [...]

US military forces conducted a secret operation in Libya Sunday, capturing Ahmed Abu Khatallah , the alleged mastermind behind the September 2012 attacks on US facilities in Benghazi, Libya, that killed four Americans including US Ambassador Chris Stevens . Pentagon press secretary Rear Adm John Kirby released a statement Tuesday saying “There were no civilian [...]

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay said Tuesday that the numerous executions that have occurred over the past week in Iraq “almost certainly amount[] to war crimes.” Pillay cited reports of “cold-blooded” killings of hundreds of non-combatant men and civilians, including religious leaders and government affiliates, by militants of the Islamic State of [...]

JURIST Guest Columnist Angelique Devaux discusses the harmonization of law in the European Union and the Franco-German Agreement of Common Optional Matrimonial Property Regime… In a time when Europe is experiencing economic crisis for several years and developed an identity crisis marked by the boost of Eurosceptics at the recent European elections, it is somewhat [...]

Egypt’s prosecutor general said Monday that Al Jazeera journalist Abdullah Elshamy will be released on medical grounds after nearly a year of imprisonment. Elshamy was detained last August while covering a protest in support of deposed president Mohamed Morsi and has been on a hunger strike for the past five months in protest of his [...]

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay on Monday called for intensive efforts to address the issue of female genital mutilation and cutting (FGM/C) , calling the practice a form of gender-based discrimination that violated the right to be free from torture. Pillay stressed that FGM/C causes severe pain as well as both short [...]

A White House official said Monday that US President Barack Obama will sign an executive order that would bar federal contractors from discriminating on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity. This action marks a departure from the White House’s position last year that an executive order would carry less weight than congressional legislation. [...]

UN high commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay expressed deep alarm on Monday over inter-communal violence occurring in Sri Lanka. Violence occurred between Buddhists and Muslims after a rally by the Buddhist group Bodu Bala Sena (BBS) protesting an alleged assault by Muslim youth against a monk at the local temple. Pillay expressed her concern, [...]