As part of a settlement, Michigan agreed Friday that state-contracted adoption agencies must follow non-discrimination requirements and allow LGBT couples to adopt or foster children.  The case was brought in September 2017 by two same-sex couples who wished to adopt against the state of Michigan and St. Vincent Catholic Charities (an intervenor defendant). “The American Civil Liberties Union filed [...]

The US Department of the Treasury sanctioned three senior officials from the Democratic Republic of the Congo on Thursday.  The sanctions were permitted by an executive order signed by former president George W. Bush that authorizes sanctions on “Certain Persons Contributing to the Conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.” Corneille Yobeluo Nangaa, Norbert Basengezi Katintima and Marcellin Basengezi [...]

Former Brazil President Michel Temer was arrested on Thursday after Federal Police executed several warrants arising from an investigation, deemed “Operations Radioactivity,” in the management of a nuclear plant in Rio. Brazilian prosecutors allege that Temer acted as the leader in a criminal organization, accepting approximately 1.8 billion in bribes and ongoing kickbacks, and committing [...]

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and the Center for Media Justice (CMJ) filed a complaint on Thursday accusing the FBI of “improperly withholding” information sought in a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request from the organizations in October regarding surveillance of black activists. The organizations sought to obtain information related to the surveillance of black [...]

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern on Thursday announced plans to ban on semi-automatic and assault rifles. The Governor-General of New Zealand, Patsy Reddy, signed an Order in Council under section 74A(c) of the Arms Act of 1983 that broadened the semi-automatic classification of the Act to include weapons similar to those used in the Christchurch terrorist [...]

A judge in the Western District of Kentucky on Wednesday granted a temporary restraining order barring state officials from enforcing, or otherwise requiring compliance with House Bill 5 (HB5), which bans abortions based on sex, race or disability.   The TRO was sought by the American Civil Liberties Union of Kentucky. HB5 imposes limits on [...]

The American Bar Association Commission on Immigration on Wednesday published an update to their 2010 report that made recommendations on reforming the immigration system. The 2019 update focused on recommendations for improvement in six key areas involved in the immigration adjudication process: the Department of Homeland Security (DHS); Immigration Judges and Immigration Courts; the Board of Immigration [...]

Mississippi’s governor, Phil Bryant, signed SB 2116 on Thursday, which bans abortions once a fetal heartbeat is detected. The bill was approved by the Mississippi Senate on Tuesday. A physician who performs an abortion after detecting a heartbeat in the fetus, or before checking for a heartbeat, can have their license revoked or suspended. The [...]

UN human rights experts condemned the Venezuelan government Thursday over reports that authorities violated the rights of demonstrators during a crackdown by the government. The UN experts claim that reports show a consistent, “systematic and pervasive disregard for humans rights displayed by the Venezuelan authorities during their crackdown on protestors, journalist and human rights defenders.” During [...]

India’s federal anti-corruption ombudsman, the Lokpal, officially commenced functioning on Tuesday with the country’s president appointing former Supreme Court judge Pinaki Chandra Ghose as the body’s first chairperson, along with eight other members. The Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act, which mandates the setting up of anti-corruption ombudsman bodies at the federal and state levels, was enacted [...]