Indonesian President Joko Widodo Wednesday expressed remorse over human rights abuses in the country committed between 1965 and 2003. He listed around 12 incidents in the country’s history for which he was sincerely apologetic. Widodo’s statement came after he received a report from the “Non-Judicial Settlement Team for Serious Human Rights Violations.” The team was [...]
The Meta Oversight Board Monday overturned Meta’s original decision to remove a Facebook post with the slogan, “marg bar Khamenei” which literally translates to “death to Khamenei.” Ayatollah Khamenei is the Supreme Leader of Iran. The board has called for better safeguards to political speech especially in critical situations, as in Iran. The board’s recommendations included [...]
The US Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit Friday struck down a Trump-era ban on rapid-fire bump stocks. The ban prevented anyone from possessing bump stock devices, which enable a shooter to rapidly fire multiple rounds from semi-automatic weapons after an initial trigger pull, and encourages possessors to either destroy or turn in their devices. [...]
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton Thursday filed a lawsuit against the Biden administration seeking reinstatement of a Trump-era public charge inadmissability rule. The rule allowed immigration officials to deny a visa, admission, or adjustment of status to a noncitizen who previously received or in the future expected to receive food assistance, Medicaid, housing assistance or [...]
The UN Security Council Thursday held an emergency meeting following Israel National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir’s visit to the Temple Mount. The visit was discussed within the context of larger discussion about Palestine. Ben-Gvir’s visit marked the first time since 2017 that an Israeli minister visited the site, which is considered holy in Christianity, Islam [...]
The South Carolina Supreme Court Thursday ruled that the state’s six week abortion ban is unconstitutional and antithetical to the right to privacy. The 3-2 decision came after almost two years after Republican Governor Henry McMaster signed the provision into law February 2021. Justice Kaye Hearn wrote in the majority judgment: The State unquestionably has [...]
A Constitution Bench of the India Supreme Court Tuesday ruled that fundamental rights under Articles 19 and 21 of the India Constitution are enforceable against even private individuals and entities. Article 19 pertains to freedom of speech rights while Article 21 has to do with life and liberty under the process of law. Justice V [...]
Tanzania President Samia Suluhu Hassan Tuesday lifted a blanket ban on political assemblies by opposition parties. Hassan expressed the will to have a dialogue within and among political parties in Tanzania. The ban was imposed in 2016 by Hassan’s predecessor John Magufuli to curb political dissent and included draconian measures which prohibited political parties from organizing [...]
New York Governor Kathy Hochul Saturday signed legislation validating natural organic reduction as a method of burial. Known as “human composting” in common parlance, the process involves placing the body of deceased in a vessel and adding organic material like wood chips, alfalfa grass and straw. Such an arrangement provides conducive environment for natural microbes to act [...]
US President Biden Friday signed a $1.7 trillion omnibus spending bill which consists of two key legal provisions for pregnant and nursing workers. First, the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act necessitates employers to provide “reasonable workplace accommodations for workers whose ability to perform the functions of a job are limited by pregnancy, childbirth, or a related medical [...]
